Governor was rejected by Virginia Democratic lawmakers. Glenn Youngkins (R), nominated Andrew Wheeler, Donald Trump’s controversial second chief of the Environmental Protection Agency, and a former coal lobbyist, as the top state environmental official.
Tuesday’s Senate vote was 21-19 to support an amendment that removed Wheelers name in a resolution approuving Youngkins Cabinet appointments.
Mr. Wheelers record in the environment and energy shows he will destroy the progress we have made to address climate change, reduce the effects of sea-level rise, and preserve the natural beauty of the Commonwealth, Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie Licke and Richard Saslaw stated in a joint statement after the vote. We cannot confirm such a worrying choice after hearing from our communities, stakeholders and organizations, as well as former colleagues at EPA Mr. Wheelers.
The fight for Wheelers’ nomination may not be over. After a final vote in Senate this week, the resolution will go to the House, where Republicans hold a majority.
Tuesday’s vote is the latest step in a contentious confirmation process. Many former and current EPA employees urged Virginia legislators to vote against Wheeler. They cited Wheeler’s record of ignoring environmental rules during his tenure at the helm.
Youngkin selected Wheeler as his secretary for natural resources in January. He stood by him despite mounting public pressure and maintained that he was the best qualified person for the job.
HuffPost requested comment from Youngkins but Youngkins did not respond immediately.
This is a still developing story. Keep checking back for new updates.