Cindy Carr, cindy.carr@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, on acting EPA Administrator Wheeler’s 100th day as head of the Agency, the EPA subtly changed his title from “Acting Administrator” to “Administrator.” This comes despite Wheeler not having yet been formally nominated or confirmed to the position by the Senate.
According to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, an acting administration official may serve “no longer than 210 days beginning on the date the vacancy occurs.” Wheeler has already served the fifth-longest tenure as an acting EPA Administrator, and there are nearly 750 days until the 2021 inauguration.
In response, Sierra Club Legislative Director Melinda Pierce released the following statement:
"Regardless of what he may believe, Andrew Wheeler cannot rewrite the Vacancies Act just as he cannot disregard bedrock environmental laws to give free reign to the corporate polluters he once and seemingly still believes he works for. With a toxic record of attacking public health and clean air and water in his 100 days as acting Administrator, Wheeler has proven he’s not fit for the job, and certainly not deserving of the permanent title.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.