Andrew Wheeler, a former Environmental Protection Agency administrator, is joining the Heritage Foundation as a visiting fellow.
Wheeler will start in his role on Monday and will advise the conservative think tank about the economic and environmental effects of energy production, environmental regulations, and climate change.
“The Heritage Foundation has been a conservative steward in Washington, D.C., for decades, and I am deeply honored to join this well-respected team as we work together to advance conservative values with policies that will benefit all Americans,” Wheeler said of his new role.
Wheeler served as a special assistant in the EPA’s Pollution Prevention and Toxics Office from 1991 to 1995 before working on Capitol Hill with the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Prior to his joining former President Donald Trump’s administration, he was a principal at Faegre Baker Daniels Consulting, where he worked as an energy lobbyist.
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Wheeler was nominated by Trump to serve as the EPA’s deputy administrator and was confirmed to the role in April 2018 in a 53-45 vote, which included the support of Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota. He became acting director of the EPA after former Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned amid scandals. Wheeler was confirmed by the Senate to lead the agency in February 2019.
Heritage President Kay James said Wheeler will be a “tremendous addition” to the Heritage group.
“Andrew brings decades of experience in environment and public works policy, having served as a dedicated EPA employee under both President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton and as a Cabinet member for President Donald Trump,” she said. “His service on Capitol Hill as well as in the private sector will help bolster our team’s expertise on a range of important policy issues.”
“Andrew has proven in his career a commitment to protecting America’s natural resources while rejecting aggressive government regulation,” she added in a statement.
Wheeler joins a host of other Trump administration alumni at the Heritage Foundation. In February, it was announced that former Vice President Mike Pence was joining the group as a distinguished fellow.
Others now working with the think tank include former acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, former acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, and former acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan.
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Wheeler’s new role comes as the Biden administration seeks to reverse course and push a green agenda targeting climate change. The White House aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and keep the United States on pace for net-zero emissions by 2050. On his first day in office, President Joe Biden also rejoined the Paris Agreement, which the U.S. left under Trump.
