Thread by @EricLiptonNYT

EPA air policy boss Bill Wehrum discusses choice EPA faces on climate change. Says his agenda and EPA's is working to "regulate correctly" re CO2. Reducing carbon emissions is a goal. But it is not agency's only priority. And he is still learning abt climate change, he says

Wehrum says Obama's Clean Power Plan--which he is now working to repeal--was fundamentally flawed. And asserts it is not fair to compare Trump-era EPA plan to Obama plan, even though EPA itself admitted net difference is more deaths in the United States.

Wehrum really wants to talk about the revisions to EPA Mercury rule, which EPA bosses feel that reporters have mischaracterized. Tells Emily Holden of the Guardian that he wants his chance to discuss MATS as it is known.

Wehrum: "There is misunderstanding about what we are doing," he says. "Misreporting" Don't expect any mercury air pollution controls in place to be turned off, as a result of revisions. So why in world would you propose to revisit the rule, he says: because we had done it wrong.

Wehrum attempts to explain the mercury rule is "not appropriate and necessary," because of the costs and don't have an obligation to regulate it. But he says the agency is still committed to regulating mercury. Yes, this is what they have been saying and both things can be true

Emily Holden gets at the core of why EPA is revising Mercury rule. Industry does not like cost and benefit analysis used to justify it, to prevent federal government from adopting future environmental regulations that limit air pollution. Wehrum essentially agrees.

Here is story by NYT on the topic of Mercury rule from December. nytimes.com/2018/12/28/cli…

Why should public trust you are being objective, Emily Holden asks, given that Wehrum represented coal burning utilities and oil industry and refineries before he took this job, fighting the same rules he is now revoking with his own pen?

Wehrum agrees he can be a polarizing figure. "I call balls & strikes as I see them, "It is important to understand the law & apply it correctly." Saysihis goal to protect the public health and environment, despite what environmental groups say. See this: nytimes.com/2018/08/19/us/…

Emily: you are dong a lot that benfits your clients.
Wehrum "We are not doiing a lot of things my previous clients want us to do."
Yes, Wehrum is a smart guy.