Energy

Environmentalists Are Disrupting Wheeler’s Congressional Hearings Less Than A Month Into His Term At EPA

REUTERS/Ting Shen

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Tim Pearce Energy Reporter
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Protesters disrupted the Senate testimony of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acting administrator Andrew Wheeler on Wednesday in a similar fashion to past protests against former EPA administrator Scott Pruitt.

Wheeler testified in front of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works less than a month after he took control of the EPA following Pruitt’s July 5 resignation. Wheeler’s testimony marks the first time he has appeared before Congress since taking over the agency.

Protesters held up signs with a picture of Wheeler’s face and the description “Pruitt Puppet.” After the signs were held up, the hearing was stopped and security guards escorted the protesters out of the room.

Similar protests disrupted congressional hearings with Pruitt. Protesters held up signs behind Pruitt during an April 26 hearing that said “Mr. Corruption.” A similar incident happened at a May 16 hearing when protesters held signs behind Pruitt that read “Fire Him.”

The protests came after months of accusations that Pruitt violated ethics rules, wasted taxpayer money and resources and catered unfairly to industry. Before Pruitt’s resignation, environmental groups were ramping up pressure and expending resources to dig up damaging information on Wheeler, Pruitt’s most likely replacement at the time. (RELATED: Pruitt Hasn’t Resigned And Activists Are Already Looking For Dirt On His Potential Replacements)

The environmental group National Resources Defense Council claimed Wheeler might be “more dangerous” than Pruitt. The group announced its intent to target Wheeler the same day Pruitt resigned.

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