Washington, DC — Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held confirmation hearings for Andrew Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the Environmental Protection Agency despite the partial government shutdown. 350.org Executive Director May Boeve offered the following statement in response:
“Like his predecessor, Andrew Wheeler is deep in the pockets of oil and coal executives, and intends to take a sledgehammer to what remains of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) climate policy–to the benefit of his colleagues in the coal and oil lobby. While Wheeler claims climate change isn’t the world’s greatest crisis, our communities are paying the costs of this denial through our lives and livelihoods. With emissions rising, the federal government is at a crossroads: vital agencies like the EPA can play a major role in addressing climate change through a Green New Deal, or, in league with fossil fuel billionaires, they can drive us deeper into crisis. Together, we can begin a just and equitable transition from fossil fuels to a 100% renewable energy economy that works for all.”
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Contact: Dani Heffernan, [email protected], (305) 992-1544