Nomination “a grave threat to the health of Maine’s people and environment”
NRCM Statement
Augusta – In response to an expected vote on Tuesday at the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works to advance the nomination of former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler as the next administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Natural Resources Council of Maine issued the following statement from Federal Project Director Emmie Theberge:
“In all of his actions, former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler has proven himself a grave threat to the health of Maine people and our environment. He has been the architect of some of the most startling rollbacks to environmental protections in decades, choosing to deliver polluters a windfall of billions at the expense of clean air, clean water, and people’s health.
Andrew Wheeler is working hand-in-hand with polluting industries to attempt a systematic dismantling of some of our nation’s most effective protections for clean air and water. These rollbacks aim to weaken limits on toxic mercury from coal power plants, gut effective clean water protections for streams and wetlands, and subvert the ability of states to set clean car standards that have reduced pollution and improved gas mileage for cars.
Maine’s natural resources are inextricably linked to the health of our people and economic growth. NRCM urges Senators Collins and King to oppose the nomination of Andrew Wheeler to head our nation’s top public health and environmental protection agency.”
