Andrew Wheeler confirmed as the nation’s 15th EPA administrator
by Alexander C. Kaufman and Chris D’Angelo, HuffPost
Andrew Wheeler has been confirmed as the nation’s 15th administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
The Senate voted 52-47 to confirm the former coal lobbyist, who has served as acting EPA chief since former Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned amid ethics scandals last July.
In a statement posted to Twitter, Wheeler said he was “deeply honored” and looking forward to carrying out President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) voted against Wheeler after having supported his nomination as deputy administrator last year. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine was the lone Republican to vote against the nomination. She opposed Pruitt’s nomination but, like Manchin, previously voted to confirm Wheeler as the agency’s No. 2 official.
In a statement Wednesday announcing her decision, Collins said Wheeler is “certainly qualified” but that she has “too many concerns with the actions during his tenure as Acting Administrator to be able to support his promotion.”
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