This morning, Republican Senators on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee green-lit Scott Pruitt as EPA Administrator despite objection from all of the Committee’s Democratic Senators. Pruitt’s nomination now goes to the full Senate for an official vote.
These concerns over Pruitt’s nomination are well-founded. Pruitt has given misleading and evasive responses to the Democratic Senators’ questions and has not responded to inquiries about his involvement with companies that have potential conflicts of interest with EPA. In fact, he owes his successful election as Oklahoma’s Attorney General to enormous campaign contributions from corporate polluters. His testimony and failure to answer Committee member’s questions about his ties to Big Oil have proven that he cannot and will not base policy decisions on sound science that will protect our water, air, and health.
In a panel discussion hosted by EPW Democrats, at which Waterkeeper Alliance’s Senior Attorney Kelly Foster spoke as an expert witness, not a single panelist was able to cite an action Pruitt took as Oklahoma Attorney General that produced a positive public health or environmental outcome.
EPA was founded to “protect human health and the environment.” Scott Pruitt has proven that he is unfit to run this vital governmental agency. Under his leadership, essential protections for the environment and public health are at grave risk of being dismantled. Confirming Pruitt as EPA Administrator will greatly assist the Trump Administration’s attempts to eviscerate environmental and public health protections.
Contact your Senator today and demand that Pruitt comes clean before the full Senate considers his nomination. Dial (202) 224-3121 now to be connected to the Senate switchboard.