Apple has hired Lisa P. Jackson, who served as chief of the Environmental Protection Agency during President Obama’s first term, to serve as the company’s senior environmental adviser, Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, announced on Tuesday.
Mr. Cook spoke at D: All Things Digital, a technology conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., on Tuesday.
Ms. Jackson, who oversaw some of the administration’s biggest environmental initiatives, including rules doubling automobile fuel efficiency and the first regulations limiting emissions of mercury and other toxins from power plants, will report directly to Mr. Cook. The company has pledged to significantly reduce its energy use and carbon footprint by substituting renewable energy for fossil fuels at its data centers.
She became a lightning rod for Republican critics of the administration’s efforts to address climate change and reduce power plant and coal mine pollution.
Ms. Jackson said in a statement late Tuesday, “Apple has shown how innovation can drive real progress by removing toxins from its products, incorporating renewable energy in its data center plans, and continually raising the bar for energy efficiency in the electronics industry. I look forward to helping support and promote these efforts, as well as leading new ones in the future aimed at protecting the environment.â€
The company has been under fire recently for employing foreign tax shelters to reduce its United States tax bill.
