Press Releases

Rep. Don Beyer issued the following statement today in reaction to President Trump’s announcement that he would nominate Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler to the position of Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

“Andrew Wheeler has already demonstrated that he will be a terrible EPA Administrator, through his proposals to roll back the Clean Power Plan and weaken standards on pollutants like mercury and methane, and through his poor ethics record. Trump’s decision to appoint him to the position is a decision to double down on failure and will lead to weakened protections for clean air and water.

From the moment he took over for his disgraced former boss, Scott Pruitt, Wheeler has made it abundantly clear that he shares Pruitt’s willingness to sell out environmental protections in favor of industry profits. These qualities – along with his antipathy to scientific guidance and his refusal to allow action on climate change – are disqualifying.

Andrew Wheeler remains a coal lobbyist at heart, and the Senate should reject his appointment.”

Beyer previously sought an investigation of potential ethical conflicts by Acting Administrator Wheeler. He was a leading critic in the House of Wheeler’s predecessor, Scott Pruitt.