Jonathon Berman, jonathon.berman@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC -- As former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler leads the Trump administration’s attacks against the health of the public and against clean air and water on behalf of his former clients in the fossil fuel industry, he is using new lines of defense for his rollback of clean air and water safeguards and again demonstrates his total denial of climate science.
On Monday evening, Wheeler sent a letter to the chair of the California Air Resource Board threatening sanctions against the state, including cuts to federal highway funding. Today, Wheeler sent a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom claiming the state is “failing to meet its obligations” to protect the environment, absurdly blaming the state’s homeless population as a root cause for pollution. And tomorrow, the Trump administration is expected to publish its rule blocking California’s clean car standards in the federal register.
Earlier this week, in an interview with McClatchy, Wheeler claimed that he is “statutorily limited” by Congress from acting to curb the climate crisis, even as he attacks climate action and clean air and water safeguards. Furthermore, Wheeler claimed that he doesn’t know what the tipping point is for the climate crisis while attacking the UN IPCC that lays out that exact science -- all after months of Wheeler repeatedly undermining and denying climate science.
In response, Sierra Club Resist campaign director Maura Cowley released the following statement:
“Andrew Wheeler could not possibly sink lower. To cover his filthy footprints, he is absurdly blaming Americans without homes for the pollution caused by his friends in the fossil fuel industry and pretending the science that indicts him doesn’t exist. Wheeler is making a mockery of the EPA and his responsibilities to safeguard our clean air and water, abusing his authority and the truth to do Donald Trump’s dirty work. Wheeler may claim ignorance on climate science, but the American people have passed the tipping point with an Administration hell-bent on polluting their air and water while disgustingly pointing the fingers at the marginalized and underrepresented. Wheeler and Trump want to blame everyone else, but they are directly responsible for making our air and water dirtier as the climate crisis gets worse.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, 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.