Senate Confirms Two EPA Nominees, But Waste Office Pick Stalls

摘要

The Senate unanimously confirmed President Donald Trump's nominees to lead EPA's toxics and international offices in the final hours of the 115th Congress, but his nominee to lead EPA's waste office remains stalled after Democrats reportedly sought a recorded vote. As a result, the administration will have to renominate former Dow Co. lawyer Peter Wright to lead EPA's waste office for consideration in the 116th Congress, along with the expected nomination of Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler to lead the agency. The Senate Jan. 2 confirmed by voice vote Alexandra Dunn to serve as assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), ensuring her ability to lead the office that faces a host of looming deadlines to implement the revised Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The Senate Jan. 3 also confirmed William Charles Mcintosh, a former auto industry executive, to be assistant administrator of EPA's Office of International and Tribal Affairs. However, neither Dunn nor Mcintosh can be formally sworn in due to the ongoing government shutdown. Wright's nomination to lead the Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) stalled after Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) "demanded a vote on Wright and of course that wasn't possible so the nomination died," an environmentalist tells Inside EPA.