Senate Republicans Ready To Block Cooper Environment Chief

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s pick to lead the state’s environmental agency appears doomed in the state Senate with Republicans ready to block her confirmation. The Senate Agriculture, Energy and Environment Committee voted Wednesday not to recommend the confirmation of Dionne Delli-Gatti as secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality. Committee leaders criticized what they called Delli-Gatti’s lack of knowledge about the governor’s views on natural gas expansion and on industry regulation during an April confirmation hearing. Cooper pushed back later Wednesday and suggested opponents were trying to block environmental progress. The full Senate plans to vote on Delli-Gatti's confirmation on Thursday.