Senate EPW Committee hears nominations for U.S. Fish and Wildlife director, EPA Office of Water and EPA general counsel

At a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, President Trump's nominees for three senior environmental posts introduced themselves and answered members' questions about priorities and experience.

Brig. Gen. Brian Nesbick, nominated to lead the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, described more than 29 years with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and 35 years in the Wyoming Army National Guard, including deployments to Kuwait and Iraq. "I will serve the American people and their natural resources specifically wildlife fish and plants and I will serve with honor and integrity," Nesbick said in his opening statement. He told senators he would emphasize cooperative federalism with state wildlife agencies, improvements to the National Wildlife Refuge system and efforts to reduce permitting delays tied to endangered-species consultations.

Jessica Kramer, nominated for the EPA's Office of Water, outlined a career in state and federal water policy including work on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Kramer said the Office of Water will follow the law in implementing recent Supreme Court guidance on waters of the United States and that she would prioritize state revolving funds, technical assistance for small and rural communities and pragmatic, achievable compliance pathways. "If I am confirmed, I will work every day to weave each of these principles into sound, durable, and understandable policy and regulation," Kramer said.

Sean Donahue, the nominee for EPA general counsel, summarized prior service at EPA during the prior administration, private-practice experience and recent agency roles including principal deputy general counsel. He told senators the office would provide the agency "the best legal advice" and that he would follow the law. Senators pressed Donahue about the scope of his litigation and supervisory experience; he said he had supervised small teams in private practice and that his more recent government work was in advisory and senior staff roles.

During questioning, senators pressed all three nominees on cooperative federalism, timely implementation of statutory programs and how they would coordinate with career staff and states. Nesbick and Kramer committed to direct engagement with states and to reviewing internal procedures that committee members said have delayed federal reviews and funding.

The committee did not take any confirmation votes at the hearing. Senators reserved written questions for the record and set deadlines for nominees' responses.