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EPA Chief Pruitt Resigns; Former Coal Lobbyist Takes Helm

July 7, 2018

Scott Pruitt, chosen by President Donald Trump to lead the Environmental Protection Agency despite repeated lawsuits against the agency when he served as Oklahoma’s attorney general, resigned as EPA director July 5. Pruitt had been under scrutiny throughout his EPA tenure for questionable ethical decisions involving his office.

Pruitt, who repeatedly said he had done nothing wrong during his time as director, in his resignation letter Thursday wrote: “It is extremely difficult for me to cease serving you in this role first because I count it a blessing to be serving you in any capacity, but also, because of the transformative work that is occurring. However, the unrelenting attacks on me personally, my family, are unprecedented and have taken a sizable toll on all of us.”

He continued: “My desire in service to you has always been to bless you as you make important decisions for the American people. I believe you are serving as President today because of God’s providence.…

Pruitt: EPA Will Have CPP Replacement Proposal in Coming Months

September 10, 2017

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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will propose a replacement rule for the Clean Power Plan (CPP) this fall, according to a September 7 court document filed by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.

The document, filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, provides an update on the EPA’s efforts to develop the CPP replacement. The court heard oral arguments in a massive ongoing lawsuit, pitting a coalition of 27 states and numerous energy producers, utilities, and trade organizations against the EPA, nearly a year ago, but has yet to reach a decision in the case.

After President Donald Trump on March 28 issued an executive order calling on the EPA to begin a reevaluation of the Clean Power Plan, the Justice Department asked the court to hold the case in abeyance until the EPA had fully reviewed the rule. A month later the court filed an order suspending the case for 60 days, and in August, the abeyance was extended 60 more days.…

Pruitt Pitches New Era of EPA at CPAC

February 27, 2017

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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the next four years is going to be a very different beast than the EPA under the presidency of Barack Obama, newly confirmed EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said on February 25 while addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). “We’re going to restore power back to the people. We’re going to recognize the regulatory uncertainty and the regulatory state needs to be reined in. We’re going to make sure that the states are recognized with the authority that they have,” Pruitt said.

Pruitt was sworn in as administer of the EPA February 17 after a controversial confirmation process. The former Oklahoma Attorney General was a vocal critic of the EPA during the Obama administration and sued the agency numerous times.

According to Pruitt, the EPA overreached its authority consistently over the course of the last eight years. In fact, Pruitt said, the EPA has been so tyrannical that conservatives are justified in wanting to abolish the agency altogether.…

Pruitt Confirmed as Head of EPA

February 19, 2017

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In a final 52–46 vote, the Senate on Friday confirmed Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The vote was mostly along party lines. Every Republican present except Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) voted for Pruitt (Sen. John McCain [R-Ariz.] did not vote because he is at a military conference in Germany). All Democrats except West Virginia’s Sen. Joe Manchin and North Dakota’s Heidi Heitkemp voted against him.

The Senate confirmed Pruitt even though an Oklahoma state court ordered Pruitt’s office to turn over more than 2,500 emails with coal, gas, and oil corporations that his office had withheld despite open records requests that had been outstanding for more than 740 days. Democrats had sought to delay today’s vote, suggesting the emails could help uncover information needed to understand whether the attorney general engaged with industries that he will be responsible for regulating as EPA administrator.

Scott Pruitt will be sworn in as the Environmental Protection Agency’s administrator on February 17.

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Dems Boycott Pruitt Committee Vote, Perry, Zinke Proceed to Full Senate

February 7, 2017

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Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee are digging their heels in, refusing to allow a vote on President Donald Trump’s nominee for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt.

Pruitt’s nomination was due to come to a vote February 1, but when it came time to gavel in the meeting, none of the committee’s Democrats were there. Under committee rules, at least two members of the minority party must be in attendance for a vote to be held.

Republicans on the committee expressed disappointment that the Democrats wouldn’t show up, saying that Pruitt had been put through the ringer during his confirmation process, allegedly answering more questions than any other nominee for the role in recent history. “I hope this is not the new normal. We cannot afford for the EPA to go without an administrator for the foreseeable future,” committee Chairman Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said during the hearing.

Catherine McCabe, the former deputy regional administrator of the EPA’s Region 2 in New York City, is currently serving as acting administrator.…