Wheeler defends efforts to ease environmental regulations

President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the EPA, Andrew Wheeler, defended his efforts to ease environmental regulations in a confirmation hearing Wednesday, amid fierce criticism from Senate Democrats insisting he is leading a dangerous U.S. retreat from the fight against climate change. Wheeler, a former energy lobbyist who has served as acting administrator for six months, did not mention global warming in his opening remarks to the Environment and Public Works Committee, instead touting agency deregulatory efforts he said would spare businesses some $1.8 billion in compliance costs. “How does it happen that the nominee to be head of the Environmental Protection Agency does not mention the words climate change at a time when the scientific community thinks climate change is the greatest environmental crisis facing the planet?” asked Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with Democrats. “Should the American people have confidence that you’re going to help us deal with this global crisis?” Wheeler replied: “Yes, they should have confidence, because we are moving forward to reduce CO2.” Wheeler deftly parried questions about both the intricate details of biofuel policy as well as the sweeping consequences of climate change over nearly three hours of testimony Wednesday, one week after Trump formally tapped him to replace the agency’s scandal-plagued former chief, Scott Pruitt. Although Wheeler does not share Pruitt’s penchant for the limelight -- nor the missteps that put Pruitt in political jeopardy -- Wheeler is nonetheless similarly committed to Trump’s agenda of easing Obama administration regulations governing climate change and pollution...MORE

Watchdog files ethics complaint against EPA head

A government watchdog group filed an ethics complaint against EPA acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler on Tuesday over meetings held with past fossil fuel clients after he took over the agency. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), in a letter to the EPA's acting inspector general, asked the office to investigate whether Wheeler, a former energy lobbyist, violated his ethics pledge. Specifically, the group asked the office to look into two 2018 meetings with former clients Darling Ingredients, Inc., Growth Energy, and the Archer Daniels Midland Company, during his two-year recusal period. CREW also questioned whether Wheeler was right to participate in the rulemaking process for several EPA standards over which he had previously lobbied the agency. Those regulations include the Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) rule, the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. “Mr. Wheeler’s involvement in these matters also gives rise to the appearance of a lack of impartiality, which critically undermines the agency’s integrity in carrying out these programs and operations," the CREW letter read. "As a result, unless he was authorized to participate, his involvement violated his ethical obligations under the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (“Standards of Conduct”).”...MORE