Trump nominates Wheeler to helm EPA

President Donald Trump today formally named Andrew Wheeler to serve as the head of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The White House submitted Wheeler's nomination to the US Senate, two months after he first announced his intention to do so. Wheeler has been serving as acting administrator of the agency since July, after former agency chief Scott Pruitt resigned following months of scandals.

Wheeler, who has lobbied for the coal industry, is likely to face strong opposition from Democrats and environmental groups, but his nomination comes after Republicans increased their majority in the Senate, giving them some breathing room to secure the needed votes for confirmation.

"Acting administrator Wheeler has done an outstanding job leading EPA and is well qualified to run the agency on a permanent basis. I will work with committee members to get him confirmed," Senate Environment and Public Works Committee chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) said.

Also helping Wheeler is the fact he has managed to avoid the types of spending and travel controversies that dogged his predecessor, while continuing efforts to dismantle environmental regulations put in place by EPA under former president Barack Obama.

That has made Wheeler popular with industry officials and Republicans in Congress, who worried Pruitt's behavior had become too great of a distraction.

Environmentalists were quick to oppose Wheeler's nomination today, citing recent EPA efforts to weaken federal regulations for CO2 and mercury emissions from power plants, as well as clean water standards affecting coal mines. Many groups also say Wheeler's past work as lobbyist for coal producers and other energy companies should disqualify him for the job.

"Mr. Wheeler fully embraces President Trump's anti-environmental agenda. His policies will lead to dirtier air and water and unchecked climate pollution," Environmental Defense Fund president Fred Krupp said.