Amid strong opposition and doubts that she’d be able to clear the Republican-controlled Senate, the nomination of Kathleen Hartnett White to serve as President Trump’s top environmental adviser was shelved late Saturday in an admission by the White House that their pick was unlikely to be confirmed.
White House officials confirmed the news late Saturday night, according to the Associated Press.
Ms. Hartnett White, who had served for six years under Texas Gov. Rick Perry, was chosen to chair the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality, a key administration panel that deals with all aspects of scientific and environmental policy. Mr. Perry is now the federal Energy secretary.
Critics have accused Ms. Hartnett White of being a shill for the fossil fuels industry and for being a vocal climate change skeptic. She has, for example, publicly doubted that carbon emissions are harmful pollutants.
She was first nominated last October but was then re-nominated by Mr. Trump last month after the Senate failed to act before the end of the year.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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