Repost from US News.
Republican Virginia Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin has tapped a former coal lobbyist and Trump administration Environmental Protection Agency chief to join his cabinet in a role overseeing the state’s environmental policy.
Andrew Wheeler is Youngkin’s pick for secretary of natural resources, the transition announced Wednesday, sparking immediate criticism from Democrats and environmental groups, who accused Wheeler of downplaying the urgent threats of climate change.
Youngkin also announced that he has chosen Michael Rolband, the founder of a natural and historic resources consulting firm, as the head of the Department of Environmental Quality, which handles environmental permitting, monitoring and inspections.
“Virginia needs a diverse energy portfolio in place to fuel our economic growth, continued preservation of our natural resources, and a comprehensive plan to tackle rising sea levels. Andrew and Michael share my vision in finding new ways to innovate and use our natural resources to provide Virginia with a stable, dependable, and growing power supply that will meet Virginia’s power demands without passing the costs on to the consumer,” Youngkin said in a statement.