Daniel Blackman

Daniel Blackman (L) with Rev. Yearwood

Daniel Blackman

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

ATLANTA (Feb. 13, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $54,572,000 from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address emerging contaminants, like Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in drinking water in Georgia. This investment, which is allocated to states and territories, will be made available to communities as grants through EPA’s Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant Program and will promote access to safe and clean water in small, rural, and disadvantaged communities while supporting local economies.

“EPA’s Emerging Contaminants Grant Program is a solid community investment for the Southeast region,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. “The expansion of safe and clean water access to small, rural, and disadvantaged communities is crucial to the protection of human health and the environment.”

“Access to clean drinking water goes to the very core of living a happy, healthy life, and affects us all,” said Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04). “The rise in forever chemicals — also known as polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances — have been linked to cancers, immune system suppression, elevated cholesterol, and other health problems. I’m pleased the bipartisan infrastructure law that I supported will be used in part to help us address emerging contaminants, particularly to protect our young mothers and their children living in the Atlanta area.”

“Families across America deserve access to clean drinking water, and this funding will help reduce contaminants and improve local water infrastructure for millions of Georgians,” said Congresswoman Lucy McBath (GA-07). “I am so proud to have fought with President Biden to ensure that Georgia gets the funding it needs, and immensely pleased that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will bring another $54 million to our communities.”

EPA appointment

On November 29, 2021, President Biden appointed Daniel Blackman to serve as the Regional Administrator for EPA’s Southeast Region (Region 4). In this role Daniel is leading EPA efforts to protect public health and the environment for the region spanning Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and six federally recognized tribes.

Daniel has dedicated his career to creating economic opportunities for marginalized communities throughout the South, specifically in building more resilient communities with equitable economic opportunity, greater access to education and a healthy environment for all, not just for a select few.

Daniel has spent over a decade advising policymakers at the state capitol, and advocating on behalf of Georgia ratepayers and small businesses in energy-related matters before Georgia’s Public Service Commission. He has served as chairman of the Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club and board member to the ACLU.

During the Obama Administration, Daniel worked closely within EPA Region 4 on issues including water infrastructure, clean air, and land/emergency management policies that impacted the southeast. He leaned heavily on his civil rights background to amplify the Region’s Environmental Justice (EJ) Policy and convened stakeholders with federal agencies to address a multitude of community concerns strategically and comprehensively.

His work in addressing groundwater contamination at nuclear plants and its impact on public health and safety has given him the opportunity to testify numerous times before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and his commitment to working throughout the Southeastern United States to push for legislation that addresses toxic ash left behind from burning coal has given him the opportunity to play a key role in the transitioning from coal to clean energy in the United States.

Ossoff connection

In November 2021, days after Ossoff’s election to the US Senate, Daniel Blackman, a failed 2020 Democratic candidate for a seat on the Georgia Public Service Commission, and a Democratic Socialists of America became President Biden’s choice to become Southeast regional administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Biden appointed Blackman to head an Atlanta-based EPA region covering six states. Blackman was recommended for the post by Senator Jon Ossoff.

“I am confident and expect that he will bring vision and focus to environmental protection in the Southeast region,” Ossoff said.

Campaign leaders

In 2020 Daniel Blackman's deputy campaign manager was DSA member Paul Glaze. His campaign manager was Emily Leslie.

2020 Metro Atlanta DSA voter guide

Congressional Districts

• District 1 Lisa Ring Democratic Socialists of America member
• District 7 Nabilah Islam Democratic Socialists of America member
• District 13 Michael Owens Democratic Socialists of America endorsed

Georgia State Elections

• Public Utilities Commissioner Daniel Blackman Democratic Socialists of America member

Georgia House of Representatives

• District 35 Elizabeth Webster Democratic Socialists of America member
• District 40 Asher Nuckolls Democratic Socialists of America member
• District 58 Kyle Lamont Democratic Socialists of America member
• District 84 Renitta Shannon
• District 89 Bee Nguyen
• District 111 El-Mahdi Holly

Town Hall against GOP budget

On Jan. 15, Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) co-hosted an event to take a stand against the GOP agenda and its budget. The town hall was co-hosted by Clarkston Mayor Ted Terry. The event was held to hold the GOP accountable for their budget that calls for drastic cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and dismantling the Affordable Care Act. Congressman Johnson praised the Obama administration at the event and echoed the voices of many guest speakers who have pledged to hold the GOP in Washington accountable. Congressman Johnson and Mayor Terry were joined on the stage by several faith leaders, environmentalists, immigration reform supporters and many elected officials. Some of those guest speakers included State Senator Vincent Fort, State Rep. Karla Drenner, State Rep. Dewey McClain, DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond, Georgia Political Director for the Bernie Sanders Presidential Campaign, Daniel Blackman, GALEO Executive Director Jerry Gonzalez; and 6th Congressional District Candidate Jonathan Ossoff, Hosea Feed The Hungry's Elisabeth Omilami, National Action Network's Mary-Pat Hector, Planned Parenthood's Staci Cox, nationally syndicated radio talk show host Rashad Richey, Georgia Federation of Teachers' Verdallia Turner, Clarkston Imam SH Salam Wazir, Rob Woods of Georgia Equality and Dr. Kathleen Connors – Executive Director Georgia Refugee Health & Mental Health.

BoldProgressives.org

PCCC - BoldProgressives.org August 4, 2015.

With Kayla Wingbermuehle-Brown, Ryan Rasmussen, Dominique Nikki Jackson, Sarah Badawi, Tamara Johnson Shealey, Brenda Lopez Romero, Michelle Martinez, Ted Jones, Noel Frame, Jay Saxon, Monica Lisa, Aly Johnson-Kurts, Tamika L Mapp, Eric D. Nelson, Jen D. Rafanan, Daniel Blackman, Farrah N. Khan, Ryan Joseph, Janine Brown, Shannon Shaun, Laurie-Anne Sayles, Dan Jameyson, Melissa Sargent, Yasmine Taeb, Harish I. Patel, Dorothy Krause, Elisabeth Lamar, Sammi Brown, Movita Johnson-Harrell, Clara Puerta, Aaron Johnson, Lacey Ann Connelly, Benjamin Yee, Rebecca Abraham, Michael McCarthy, Adam Green, Stephanie Taylor, Ted Terry, Sarah DeMerchant, Elaine Hyman, Patrick Davis, Bob Gibeling, Tim Denson, Robert Millar, Mari Cordes, Chris Wig, Heidi J. Vierthaler and Paul Per Row Knee.