The nomination of Douglas Benevento for deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency will not be taken up the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
The Hill reported the decision not to hold a vote on the nomination came after Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, had cited issues that ethanol and biodiesel producers have with the agency over blending requirement waivers for oil refiners.
“Until EPA tells us exactly what they plan to do with the ‘gap year’ waivers, Mr. Benevento does not have my vote,” Ernst said. “Iowa’s hardworking ethanol and biodiesel producers are sick of being yanked around by [EPA Administrator] Andrew Wheeler and the EPA. Our producers need certainty; until we get that, no EPA nominee is getting my vote.”
As a result, no vote on his nomination will be taken, said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., who chairs the committee.
“In light of Senator Ernst’s announcement, a path forward for Mr. Benevento's nomination to be deputy administrator of the EPA no longer exists,” Barrasso told The Hill. “He is well qualified for the position but does not have the votes.”
Benevento served as EPA Region 8 Administrator from October 2017 through March 2019. He then moved to EPA Headquarters, where he has served as senior counselor for regional management and state affairs and later as associate deputy administrator.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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