Radhika Fox is one step closer to officially taking the reins of EPA’s Office of Water as the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee voted last week to advance her nomination to the Senate floor.
Speaking during a committee business meeting, EPW Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.) described Fox and several other nominees, before the panel, as “extremely well qualified” for their positions. However, Ranking Republican Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) voted against Fox’s nomination. Acknowledging Fox’s qualifications, Senator Capito expressed concerns stemming from Fox’s panel appearance last month, explaining that Fox would not “commit to maintaining the navigable waters protection rule issued in 2020” and “state that the 2015 Waters of the U.S. rule was overreaching.”
Fox ultimately won the backing of all 10 EPW Democrats and four of its Republicans, and her nomination advanced by a vote of 14-6. Her next stop is the Senate floor, which will likely hold a confirmation vote sometime this summer. Many water sector groups representing large public utilities including the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) expressed its support for her nomination in April.
Source: Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies
