RALEIGH With as much time as President-elect Donald Trump spent in the Old North State on his way to election victory, it is little surprise that some of North Carolina’s political leaders are being considered for top posts in a Trump administration. As reported by The Hill, N.C. Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality Donald van der Vaart is in the running to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).Van der Vaart, who was appointed by Gov. Pat McCrory to be North Carolina’s top environmental regulator in 2015, led an effort by the McCrory administration to take a more business-friendly approach to protecting environmental interests. His reformist nature, and frequent criticism of federal environmental policy mandates, may make van der Vaart a good fit for a Trump administration intent on reducing regulatory burdens on citizens and their businesses.The President-elect has stated that many of his remaining cabinet picks will be announced this week, including his pick to head the EPA.
