Democrats to grill Trump’s new EPA chief pick over past lobbying
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic lawmakers will grill U.S. President Donald Trump’s new pick to run the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday over his past coal lobbying, but have little hope of blocking his confirmation in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Trump nominated EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler to run the agency permanently last week, a pick that could provide him another avid supporter of his deregulatory and pro-fossil fuels agenda without the constant criticism over alleged mismanagement that plagued Wheeler’s predecessor Scott Pruitt.
A Washington insider with years experience as a top aide to Republican Senator and climate skeptic Jim Inhofe, Wheeler has been running the EPA since July, when Pruitt resigned in a flurry of criticism over his expensive travel and use of resources and staff for personal matters.
Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee running Wednesday’s confirmation hearing said they would press Wheeler on his past lobbying, which includes work for underground coal giant Murray Energy – a vocal proponent for reduced environmental and safety regulation.