EPA’s Clean Air Nominee has Long Record of Attacking Health Protections

WASHINGTON – A coalition of environmental groups sent a letter to senators today opposing the nomination of William Wehrum to head EPA’s clean air office.  The groups—including The Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters, Earthjustice and NRDC—elaborated on Wehrum’s record of weakening public health and clean air protections:

“While he served in senior leadership positions with the EPA air program, courts held the agency in violation of the federal Clean Air Act 30 times. In private practice with corporate law firms, Mr. Wehrum has represented industrial interests in nearly 35 lawsuits that sought to weaken or void EPA clean air and public health safeguards. Americans deserve better for the nation’s chief clean air official. Senators should not confirm him.”

The following is a statement from John Walke, the director of the Clean Air program for the Natural Resources Defense Council:

“This is a man with a lengthy record of promoting dirty air.  Under the Bush EPA, Wehrum worked to strip safeguards and harm public health.  He lost clean air lawsuits over and over again, violating the law egregiously.”

The groups’ letter also cited Wehrum’s long representation of coal, oil, gas and chemical companies and trade associations that oppose EPA clean air rules.

A copy of the letter can be found here.