Earthjustice : Calls on Senate to Oppose Pruitt’s Nomination to Lead EPA

Washington, D.C. -

Tomorrow, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is expected to vote to send Scott Pruitt's nomination as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator to the full Senate for a vote. Earthjustice President Trip Van Noppen issued the following statement calling on the Senate to reject Pruitt's nomination.

'We have never encountered a presidential nominee like Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, whose record indicates an open hostility towards the essential purpose and functions of the Environmental Protection Agency-the very agency he seeks to lead.

'As Oklahoma's attorney general, he has repeatedly attacked bedrock laws that protect our air and water and put our health and communities in jeopardy. Under his leadership, the Oklahoma Office of Attorney General filed more than 14 lawsuits against the EPA attacking life-saving public health protections, like the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard -a safeguard that would protect children against toxic mercury pollution and prevent 11,000 premature deaths each year across the country.

'Notably, Pruitt filed zero lawsuits to protect the air our children breathe. He even admitted to not knowing if there are any safe lead levels for our children-perhaps the Mayor of Flint can set him straight on this well-known fact.

'Our Congressional leaders must not act as if they have a mandate to destroy critical environmental and public health protections because nothing could be further from the truth.

'The Senate must not overlook the fact that the majority of voters value clean air and clean water, and trust the EPA to protect us from Big Oil and polluters. Instead, our senators should protect the health of our communities by rejecting Scott Pruitt's nomination.'

Use our main resource page for Pruitt's nomination.

See highlights from Scott Pruitt's Senate confirmation hearing.