N.J. Senator Derailed EPA Superfund Nominee’s Confirmation

The former Dow Chemical Co. counsel once nominated to head the EPA’s Superfund office failed to gain Senate approval in 2018 because of a Democratic senator’s concerns about the nominee’s defense of a contaminant.

Peter C. Wright was the White House’s nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management, but was left out of a group of nominees confirmed Jan. 2. Because the 115th Congress officially ended, the Trump administration either must resubmit Wright’s name for consideration or find another nominee.

Wright lacked unanimous support from senators, so he ...