For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022
Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(804) 225-1902 | lfrancis@valcv.org
RICHMOND – Today, the Senate voted 21-19 to block the nomination of Andrew Wheeler, Governor Youngkin’s extreme pick for Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources.
Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist and head of the Environmental Protection Agency under President Trump, where he presided over an unprecedented reversal of environmental laws and regulations, drew immediate criticism when he was nominated. The objections included a letter signed by more than 150 former EPA officials calling on Senators to reject him for this post due to his record gutting environmental laws and sidelining scientists.
In response to today’s vote, Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, issued the following statement.
“Wheeler’s track record of environmental degradation and catering to big polluters made him unfit for this post from the outset, and we applaud Senate Democrats for preventing his confirmation. With evidence now that he lacks the votes to push this nominee forward, we hope Youngkin will see reason and appoint a Natural Resources Secretary who will prioritize protecting the lands, air and water of the Commonwealth.”
About us:
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters serves as the political voice of the state’s conservation community, working to make sure Virginia’s elected officials recognize that our natural heritage is an environmental and economic treasure for all. Virginia LCV works with conservation leaders across Virginia and strives for a conservation majority in state government. We secure good public policies on the state level and hold public officials accountable for their positions on environmental issues. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.
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