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Democratic Sen. Ed Markey also told Wheeler he was \"100 percent wrong\" that climate change isn't a crisis and later called it \"unacceptable\" he would seek confirmation as EPA administrator while saying he hasn't had time to fully evaluate the scientific reports on climate change. When asked, Wheeler did not say if he agrees with the broader conclusions of a major government climate report released in November, saying he was briefed once on the report but additional briefings scheduled in January were postponed because of the government shutdown.

\"That's unacceptable, you're looking to be confirmed as the head of the environmental protection agency and we're having a hearing on your worthiness for this job and you very conveniently haven't had enough time yet to review whether or not there's an extra level of urgency to this problem,\" Markey said.

\"PHOTO:
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
PHOTO: Andrew Wheeler, acting administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, appears before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Aug. 1, 2018.
>

Later in the hearing, Markey said not having read the report was \"a disqualification\" for a candidate for EPA administrator. But Wheeler pushed back saying, \"I didn't say I didn't read it -- I said I haven't finished being briefed on it by my staff.\"

Wheeler also pushed back on criticism that the agency rolled back Obama-era rules, including the Clean Power Plan, intended to dramatically reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Wheeler said the plan was blocked by the Supreme Court and never took effect.

Environment and public health groups have said they're alarmed that any rollback of a rule on mercury emissions from power plants because the pollutant and other toxic substances covered by the rule are harmful to children and developing babies.

\"Under our preferred option I do not believe there will be a weakening in the mercury standards at all as far as equipment that has already been deployed and implemented across the board,\" he said.

\"I get accused of rolling back the Clean Power Plan, I don't think you can roll back a regulation that never took effect. And on (the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard) I don't think you can roll back a regulation that's been fully implemented.\"

Democrats on the committee, led by Ranking Member Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, also raised concerns that the nomination is being rushed during the government shutdown even though Wheeler could continue to work in an acting capacity for much of the year.

\"I do not believe that giving the acting administrator a speedy promotion is more urgent and more important than protecting the public from contamination to our air and water and lands. Our priority should be reopening EPA and the other closed federal agencies,\" Carper said in his opening statement.

A protester stood up as Wheeler began his remarks to \"object\" the hearing was being held during the shutdown. More could be heard in the hallway outside the hearing room chanting: \"Shut down Wheeler, not the EPA.\"

As @EPAAWheeler begins his remarks a protestor stood up to “object” the hearing during the shutdown. You can hear some folks in the hallway chanting “shut down Wheeler, not the EPA” pic.twitter.com/tF74eGXjTV

— Stephanie Ebbs (@stephebbs) January 16, 2019

Wheeler confirmed in the hearing that some EPA policies have been delayed because of the shutdown, including a management plan to deal with a class of chemicals known as PFAS that contaminate groundwater and drinking water in some parts of the country. Wheeler said a plan to manage the chemicals and set limits for drinking water was set to be announced next week but will now be delayed.

\"PHOTO:
Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Newscom
PHOTO: Protesters line the hallway outside of the confirmation hearing for Andrew Wheeler to be administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Jan. 16, 2019.
>

Last May, the EPA said the management plan would be released in fall 2018 and that the agency would move to officially label the chemicals as \"hazardous.\"

He also told senators the agency will have to bring back staff to meet court-ordered deadlines on other rules like regulations on lead in dust.

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