EPA chief Lisa Jackson is stepping down in January

Environmental Protection Agency chief Lisa Jackson announced today that she’s stepping down after a four-year tenure marked by her agency’s first greenhouse gas regulations and repeated battles with industry groups and GOP lawmakers. Jackson, a New Orleans native and the first African American to serve as EPA administrator, came into office with bold plans to address climate change, but accomplished only part of her agenda; foiled by opposition on Capitol Hill and occasionally the White House. She often faced harsh congressional grilling. Last year, the GOP chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Michigan Rep. Fred Upton, said she would need her own parking spot at the Capitol because he planned to summon her often for questioning. Jackson, 50, a chemical engineer by training and a mother of two teenagers, offered no reason for her resignation other than saying she’s ready for “new challenges, time with my family and new opportunities to make a difference.” President Obama praised Jackson in a statement today, saying she has shown “an unwavering commitment to the health of our families and our children.” USA Today has more details on Jackson’s announcement today here.