Virginia Governor’s Pick for Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Condemned by Potomac Riverkeeper Network

Andrew Wheeler Gutted Environmental Protections as Trump’s EPA Head

Washington, D.C.January 6 – Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN) condemns Gov-elect Glenn Youngkin’s nomination of former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler for Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources, who during his tenure at EPA under former President Trump, was responsible for significantly rolling back protections for clean water, air, and toxic pollution and also led Trump’s efforts to withdraw or suspend critically needed action on climate change and did nothing to address environmental injustices in communities of color across the country.

Nancy Stoner, President of PRKN, said about the nomination, “After years of bipartisan progress in Virginia to protect the state’s natural resources, Wheeler’s nomination is a huge step backward. His track record speaks for itself, a veritable laundry list of attacks on our natural resources that demonstrate his allegiance to polluting industries at the expense of the public. Virginians deserve an environmental leader who will look to the future while building on past successes to protect clean water, address environmental injustice, and make the transition to clean renewable energy. Andrew Wheeler is none of those things, and his nomination must be rejected by the General Assembly.”

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About Potomac Riverkeeper Network

Potomac Riverkeeper Network is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization with three regional Waterkeeper branches: Potomac Riverkeeper, Upper Potomac Riverkeeper, and Shenandoah Riverkeeper. Our mission is to protect the public’s right to clean water in the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers and their tributaries. We stop pollution to enhance the safety of our drinking water, protect healthy river habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment.

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