Credit: Alex Edelman/Consolidated News Photos via Alamy Live News
President Trump just nominated former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler for a more permanent gig at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Wheeler has been serving as acting EPA administrator since July, when his predecessor, Scott Pruitt, resigned in a maelstrom of scandal. When Wheeler took over, he promised to restore some order to the agency—and perhaps even carry out its duty of protecting the environment and public health. But his actions suggest otherwise. Wheeler’s EPA has moved to weaken federal fuel efficiency standards, limits on air pollution from coal-fired power plants, and the Clean Water Rule, which protects the drinking water for millions of Americans.
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