More than 150 former EPA employees have sent an open letter to Virginia lawmakers, beseeching them to oppose Andrew Wheeler’s nomination.
Wheeler is Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin’s nominee for secretary of natural resources.
As The Hill reports:
In an open letter written to the state’s senators, the former employees asked them to oppose the impending nomination of Andrew Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, to serve as the state’s Natural Resources Secretary.
“As EPA Administrator, Mr. Wheeler pursued an extremist approach, methodically weakening EPA’s ability to protect public health and the environment, instead favoring polluters,” they wrote.
“Mr. Wheeler also sidelined science at the agency, ignored both agency and outside experts, rolled back rules to cut greenhouse gasses and protect the climate, and took steps to hamstring EPA and slow efforts to set the agency back on course after he left office” they added.
However, a spokesperson for Youngkin was quick to tout Wheeler’s bona fides:
“Wheeler is the right person for the job, and the Governor-elect selected Andrew because he is incredibly qualified and will deliver for all Virginians,” said spokesperson Macaulay Porter.