Washington • The House Energy and Commerce Committee launched an investigation Thursday into whether the Environmental Protection Agency’s air policy chief and his deputy have improperly aided their former industry clients since joining the administration.
Three of the panel’s top Democrats — Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey and two subcommittee chairs, Paul Tonko of New York and Diana DeGette of Colorado sent nine separate letters to businesses affiliated with Bill Wehrum, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation and the office’s senior counsel, David Harlow. Both men worked at the law firm Hunton & Williams, now Hunton Andrews Kurth, and represented several power plant operators that EPA regulates.