As Trump Dismantles Clean Air Rules, an Industry Lawyer Delivers for Ex-Clients

Monday, 20 August 2018 08:27

Lipton writes: "As a corporate lawyer, William L. Wehrum worked for the better part of a decade to weaken air pollution rules by fighting the Environmental Protection Agency in court on behalf of chemical manufacturers, refineries, oil drillers and coal-burning power plants."

William Wehrum has been able to push his deregulatory agenda because of a quirk in federal ethics rules that are less restrictive for industry lawyers than for officials who had worked as registered lobbyists. (photo: Ron Sachs/CNP/MediaPunch)

As Trump Dismantles Clean Air Rules, an Industry Lawyer Delivers for Ex-Clients

By Eric Lipton, The New York Times

20 August 18

s a corporate lawyer, William L. Wehrum worked for the better part of a decade to weaken air pollution rules by fighting the Environmental Protection Agency in court on behalf of chemical manufacturers, refineries, oil drillers and coal-burning power plants.

Now, Mr. Wehrum is about to deliver one of the biggest victories yet for his industry clients � this time from inside the Trump administration as the government�s top air pollution official.

On Tuesday, President Trump is expected to propose a vast rollback of regulations on emissions from coal plants, including many owned by members of a coal-burning trade association that had retained Mr. Wehrum and his firm as recently as last year to push for the changes.

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