Ohio Senate confirms Kasich's pick for EPA director

COLUMBUS (AP) — The Ohio Senate has confirmed Gov. John Kasich’s pick to lead the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Craig Butler has been serving as the agency’s director since early January. Kasich first appointed him in an interim capacity, then as full-time director starting in February.

Senators confirmed Butler today on a 23-10 vote.

The tally followed concerns raised by Democratic state Sen. Lou Gentile over recent revelations that the Kasich administration paid for but never released results of a $435,000 survey tallying clean-energy jobs while Butler was serving as Kasich’s senior policy adviser on environmental, energy, public utility and agricultural issues.

Butler also worked as district director of the Ohio EPA’s central district and southeast district offices. He replaced Scott Nally, who resigned.