See below for video of Del. Wendy Gooditis (D-Loudoun/Clarke/Frederick) speaking a few minutes ago on the Virginia House of Delegates floor, and discussing the remarks yesterday by former Trump EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler (click here for a revealing exchange between Del. Alfonso Lopez and Wheeler). According to Del. Gooditis, listening to Wheeler in committee yesterday:
“I felt as though I was living in a parallel universe. For that hour, I was living in a universe where Mr. Wheeler accomplished great good while leading the US Environmental Protection Agency. In that universe, he respected science and scientists; he carried on with bad policy inherited from the former guy with the greatest
reluctance; he protected the Chesapeake Bay with all he had; and made great strides in cleaning up our environment.”
Now obviously, Del. Gooditis pointed out, “that is NOT our universe.” In fact:
“In our universe, Mr. Wheeler’s acts which did damage in so many areas of environmental conservation protections are widely recognized and well documented.”
Del. Gooditis continued, reading from “a letter written just a few days ago by more than 150 EPA employees.”
“As EPA administrator, Mr. Wheeler pursued an extremist approach, methodically weakening EPA’s ability to protect public health and the environment, instead favoring polluters. Mr. Wheeler also sidelined science at the agency; ignored both agency and outside experts; rolled back rules to cut greenhouse gases and protect the climate; and took steps to hamstring EPA and slow efforts to set the agency back on course, even after he left office.”
Bottom line: Andrew Wheeler is WILDLY unfit to serve as Virginia’s Secretary of Natural Resources, and his nomination by Gov. Youngkin should be resoundingly rejected by the Virginia General Assembly (the Senate, at least, given that House Republicans will apparently go along with anything their dear leader wants…).
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