Andrew R. Wheeler

15th Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Andrew R. Wheeler (born December 23, 1964) is an American lawyer, former lobbyist. He was the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from February 28, 2019 to January 20, 2021.[1] He was the acting head of the agency from July 9, 2018 to February 28, 2019.

Andrew R. Wheeler
EPA portrait, 2018
12th Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources
In office
January 15, 2022 – March 15, 2022
GovernorGlenn Youngkin
Preceded byAnn Jennings
Succeeded byTravis Voyles (acting)
15th Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
In office
July 9, 2018 – January 20, 2021
Acting: July 9, 2018 – February 28, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyHenry Darwin (acting)
Preceded byScott Pruitt
Succeeded byMichael S. Regan
Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
In office
April 20, 2018 – February 28, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byRobert Perciasepe
Succeeded byHenry Darwin (acting)
Personal details
Born (1964-12-23) December 23, 1964 (age 59)[source?]
Hamilton, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationCase Western Reserve University (BA)
Washington University (JD)
George Mason University (MBA)

Wheeler was an aide to U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe.[2] Wheeler is a critic of limits on greenhouse gas emissions, denies Global Warming and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.[3]

In October 2017, Wheeler was nominated by President Donald Trump,[4] renominated in January 2018[5] and confirmed as Deputy Administrator of the EPA in April 2018.[6]

On July 9, 2018, Wheeler became the Acting Administrator after the resignation of Scott Pruitt.[7] On November 16, 2018, President Trump announced he would nominate Wheeler to serve as the EPA's permanent administrator.[8] His nomination was confirmed by the Senate on February 28, 2019.[9]

In January 2022, Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin has announced his intention to nominate Wheeler to serve as the Virginia secretary of natural resources.[10] He served as secretary from his nomination announcement until the resigned after not being able to get enough votes in the state senate for confirmation.[11]

References

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  1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "EPA's Deputy Administrator". Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  2. Mufson, Steven (July 5, 2018). "Scott Pruitt's likely successor has long lobbying history on issues before the EPA". Washington Post. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  3. Farrick, Ryan J. (July 26, 2017). "Trump Nominates Coal Industry Lobbyist Andrew Wheeler To Help Run EPA". Legal Reader. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  4. Friedman, Lisa (October 5, 2017). "Trump Nominates a Coal Lobbyist to Be No. 2 at E.P.A." New York Times. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
  5. "PN1084 — Andrew Wheeler — Environmental Protection Agency (115th Congress, 2017-2018)". U.S. Senate. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  6. Mufson, Steven; Dennis, Brady; Grandoni, Dino (April 12, 2018). "Senate confirms a former coal lobbyist as Scott Pruitt’s second-in-command at EPA". Washington Post. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  7. Scott Pruitt resigns as EPA head, Boston Globe, July 5, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  8. "Trump Says He'll Nominate Andrew Wheeler to Head the E.P.A."
  9. "Senate confirms Andrew Wheeler as EPA administrator along mostly party-line vote". Archived from the original on 2019-03-01. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  10. Vozzella, Laura (5 January 2022). "Youngkin nominates Trump EPA chief Andrew Wheeler for secretary of natural resources". The Washington Post. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  11. "Ex-EPA leader Wheeler to serve as adviser to Youngkin". Associated Press. WUSA9. 15 March 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.