Youngkin pick Wheeler defends EPA record, criticizes media

Former EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler, proper, who has been nominated by Gov. Youngkin to be the Secretary of Pure and Historic Assets, testifies earlier than the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Pure Assets on the Capitol Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, in Richmond, Va.

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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Former U.S. Environmental Safety Company administrator Andrew Wheeler defended his document Tuesday as he made an preliminary public look earlier than Virginia legislators, who will ultimately vote on whether or not to substantiate his appointment to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Cupboard.

Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist and U.S. Senate staffer who led the EPA in the course of the latter years of the Trump administration, instructed a state Senate committee he had not utilized for the job of Virginia secretary of pure and historic assets. Moderately, he mentioned, Youngkin provided it to him after he took half in a group advising Youngkin’s transition and briefed him on challenges going through the Chesapeake Bay.

“The governor believes that with my distinctive background of getting run the EPA and dealing in a senior management place within the U.S. Senate that I understand how to entry federal funding and help to make a distinction for the state,” Wheeler instructed the committee.

Earlier this month, Youngkin introduced Wheeler’s choice for the job that entails overseeing environmental coverage in addition to historic and wildlife assets. The information sparked an instantaneous backlash from the state’s main conservation teams, who've characterised his management on the EPA as overly deferential to company pursuits and accused him of downplaying the threats of local weather change.

The appointment of Cupboard secretaries is topic to legislative approval, and various members of the Democrat-controlled Virginia Senate have signaled their opposition to Wheeler’s nomination. Republicans management the state Home.

Wheeler, who has been assembly privately with some lawmakers, gave remarks and cordially fielded questions from the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Pure Assets Committee for about an hour. Wheeler offered detailed responses to the questions, joking at one level that he was going through numerous accusations and welcomed the possibility to handle all of them.

He instructed members that if he continued within the function he would prioritize Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts, deliver “extra certainty and transparency” to allowing and implement a coastal resiliency plan to assist the state plan for and fight rising sea ranges.

“I've an extended profession in making an attempt to bridge variations on these points and defend the assets all of us share,” he mentioned.

Requested particularly whether or not he believed in local weather change, Wheeler responded affirmatively and mentioned the EPA didn’t have a lot leeway to work on the problem throughout his tenure due to a scarcity of motion from Congress.

One committee member, centrist Democrat Joe Morrissey, mentioned he was happy with the solutions Wheeler offered Tuesday. He requested Wheeler why he thought he had been a “lightning rod” for controversy.

“To begin with, I don’t suppose the issues that I did at EPA have been lined very nicely by the press,” Wheeler responded.

He cited a particular instance of what he described as a scarcity of media curiosity in a information convention highlighting a grant program to assist fund cleaner college buses.

“Our constructive issues have been by no means lined,” mentioned Wheeler, who at varied different factors complained about what he mentioned was unfair information media protection of his profession.

Amongst these opposing Wheeler’s nomination is a bunch of greater than 150 ex-EPA workers, together with high-ranking former officers, who wrote to lawmakers earlier this month laying out their issues. In a letter, they mentioned Wheeler had methodically weakened ”EPA’s skill to guard public well being and the atmosphere.“

A labor union representing about 7,500 EPA employees has additionally referred to as on lawmakers to reject his nomination.

The committee didn't take public remark associated to his appointment or take a vote. The go to was a formality and probability to ask questions. Different Youngkin Cupboard secretaries have been making appearances not too long ago in entrance of committees that deal with laws related to their subjects of duty.

The Cupboard secretaries will obtain votes confirming their appointments later within the session. No different appointee has drawn public opposition like Wheeler, who was scheduled to seem earlier than a Home committee Wednesday.