Interim EPA chief confirmed for post

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday confirmed former coal industry lobbyist Andrew Wheeler to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, despite concerns by Democrats and one Republican about regulatory rollbacks he’s made in eight months as the agency’s acting chief.

Senators voted 52-47 to confirm Wheeler, who was nominated by President Donald Trump after former administrator Scott Pruitt resigned last year after ethics allegations.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., chairman of the Senate environment committee, called Wheeler “uniquely qualified” to lead EPA and said that under Wheeler the agency is putting forward proposals that “both protect our environment and allow the country’s economy to flourish.”

But Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., said Wheeler was failing to protect the environment and human health and was “nominated to unravel and undo the environmental protections that are now in place.”

Wheeler, 54, was confirmed as deputy administrator last April and became acting chief in July after Pruitt resigned. He worked at the EPA early in his career and was a top aide at the Senate Environment Committee before becoming a lobbyist a decade ago.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins was the sole Republican to oppose Wheeler, saying, “The policies he has supported as acting administrator are not in the best interest of our environment and public health, particularly given the threat of climate change to our nation.”