Another Biden administration nominee will go before Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe and others this week who sit on a Senate committee.
Joe Goffman, Biden’s selection to lead the Office of Air and Radiation at the Environmental Protection Agency will appear Wednesday during his confirmation hearing to be held by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Goffman is the principal deputy assistant administrator for the office. In a recent meeting with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, co-chair of the Environmental Justice Caucus, the two discussed preserving the Renewable Fuel Standard and also keeping environmental justice priorities as the focus of the office.
Sen. Inhofe has not commented publicly about the nomination. But in recent days, Goffman won the endorsement of one unlikely group–the United Mine Workers of America.
The UMWA endorsed Goffman who likely will face a contentious confirmation battle as some senators will heavily scrutinize his support for Biden’s climate agenda.
“We believe Mr. Goffman is well qualified to serve as AA for OAR, as demonstrated by his previous work for EPA in the Clinton and Obama Administrations, as well as his private sector and academic experience at Harvard’s Kennedy School,” said the UMWA in a letter addressed to Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.), chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), the panel’s ranking member.