U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine says she's opposing the confirmation of Andrew Wheeler to be the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Collins, a Republican, said in a statement Wednesday that she has "too many concerns with the actions" Wheeler has taken during his tenure as acting administrator.
Collins said she met with Wheeler and discussed issues from the EPA's enforcement of landmark environmental laws to greenhouse gas emissions and mercury pollution. She said since last August, the EPA has proposed to roll back protections, "including determining it is no longer 'appropriate and necessary' to regulate mercury emissions from power plants, halting efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks, and replacing the Clean Power Plan."
She said those efforts are of great importance to Maine.