People: Democrats, unions back competing EPA Region 5 chief candidates

Most of Illinois’ Democratic lawmakers in the House are supporting state water Commissioner Debra Shore to be the administrator of EPA’s Region 5 covering several Midwest states, at odds with a major agency union that is endorsing a former EPA official and current gas utility executive Micah Ragland for the position. Region 5 serves Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin and 35 tribes, and whoever President-elect Joe Biden selects as regional administrator does not have to win Senate confirmation. Shore,...