FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            Contact: Susan Stephenson    

February 25, 2019                                                                   (415) 561-4891; (510) 484-7198

 

Today, Interfaith Power & Light delivered a letter signed by over 4,000 clergy and people of faith from across the country urging Senate Majority Leader McConnell and Minority Leader Schumer to vote no on the confirmation of former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler as EPA Administrator.

Rev. Susan Hendershot, President of Interfaith Power & Light, said, “As communities of faith and conscience from diverse religious traditions, we urge you to protect our communities and congregations from the devastating health effects of pollution and vote against Acting Administrator Wheeler’s nomination to the position of EPA Administrator.”

Mr. Wheeler has made his living lobbying for the very industries he would be responsible for regulating. IPL is deeply concerned that Mr. Wheeler would continue an agenda to roll back common-sense environmental safeguards, if confirmed in this position.

In the short time he has been acting administrator of EPA, Mr. Wheeler has already pushed to roll back the Clean Car Standards, disbanded a scientific panel at EPA that was relied on to help set standards for pollution, and said the regulations on power plants to get mercury pollution out of our air and water are not “necessary and appropriate.”

People of faith who signed the letter feel a moral responsibility to defend the vulnerable and bequeath a safe climate to future generations. Mr. Wheeler’s record shows that he could pose a threat to our environment and especially those most impacted by pollution, like children, the elderly, and lower income communities, by weakening environmental safeguards.

The letter ends, “Government is a public trust and Wheeler’s actions undermine that trust. The U.S. Senate has an important role of advice and consent. In carrying out your duty, we believe you must not confirm a nominee for EPA administrator whose interests are directly at odds with the mission of the agency: to protect human health and the environment.”

To view the letter and list of signatories, click here: Wheeler clergy signers letter