EWG: ‘A coal lobbyist and the head of the EPA should be two different people’

WASHINGTON – After a career as a coal lobbyist and five months as acting head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Andrew Wheeler has been tapped by President Trump to be the agency’s next administrator. It’s a move that could only come from a president hell-bent on rolling back public health and environmental regulations, said EWG President Ken Cook.

“In normal times, a zealous fossil fuel apologist and the top official in charge of protecting children’s health from pollution would be two separate people with conflicting agendas,” said Cook. “But this is the Trump administration, where a former top coal lobbyist could become administrator of the EPA.”

“One thing is for certain. Whether or not he’s confirmed by the Senate to be the next administrator, when Wheeler’s time at EPA ends, more children will have been exposed to dangerous pollutants.”

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The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.