Lauren Lantry, lauren.lantry@sierraclub.org
Today, the Huffington Post reported that fossil fuel lobbyist and current EPA air boss Bill Wehrum was visiting with Hunton Andrews Kurth, the fossil fuel lobbying firm that previously employed him, just one month after starting at EPA.
The Huffington Post’s reporting reveals these emails weren’t sent as former colleagues trying to reacquaint themselves on personal matters, Hunton lawyers were seeking inside information and looking to influence his decisions. This is a recurring pattern. Not only did Hunton continue to meet and email with Wehrum, but leveraged that relationship to influence his staff as well.
According to Huffington Post, Hunton attorney David Landin emailed Wehrum to “catch up” on asbestos regulations. When Wehrum was at Hunton, he and Landin lobbied together for the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) on asbestos regulations. The EPA is currently reviewing asbestos regulations. In the email, Landin added, “NSSGA wants to be supportive.”
Hunton lawyers met with Wehrum’s senior adviser and representatives of the Brick Industry Association. In an email, an association representative wrote “We really need immediate relief from the December compliance deadline,” Just four months later an air office memo was sent to regional EPA offices instructing them to consider granting the brick industry compliance extensions on a case-by-case basis.
Wehrum is proving he never stopped working for these fossil fuel lobbyists even after he's moved to the EPA.
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.