Trump’s EPA Pick: Who is Scott Pruitt?

By Amy Souers Kober, American Rivers

President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency is someone who has fought consistently to block environmental protections.

The choice of Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt for administrator of the agency charged with protecting human health and the environment raises major concerns for clean drinking water and rivers nationwide.

“This appointment raises serious alarms for all Americans who value rivers and the clean water they provide,” said American Rivers President Bob Irvin.

Scott Pruitt was elected Attorney General of Oklahoma in 2010 and served as an Oklahoma State Senator from 1998 to 2006.

As Oklahoma’s Attorney General, Scott Pruitt sued to block the Clean Water Rule, issued by EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which restored federal protection under the Clean Water Act to headwater streams and wetlands. Pruitt has also sued to block EPA’s Clean Power Plan which would reduce pollution that causes climate change and harms rivers.

“Every family in the United States deserves clean, safe drinking water flowing from their taps,” said Irvin.

“Rivers provide drinking water for 2/3 of Americans. By filing suit to overturn the Clean Water Rule, Scott Pruitt called into question his commitment to protecting clean water for every American.”

Pruitt received more than $300,000 from fossil fuel industries as a candidate for state office in Oklahoma. He has made a career of defending polluters over people, fighting to undermine protections for land, water and wildlife.

Is this the kind of person we want heading the EPA? The person in charge of defending our clean water supplies from pollution, and making sure the air our kids breathe is healthy?

On the campaign trail, President-elect Trump boasted about how he’d roll back clean water protections and other environmental safeguards. But Trump recently said he wants to uphold the conservation legacy of Teddy Roosevelt. So the question is, which Trump will it be? Unfortunately, his selection of Scott Pruitt to run EPA is an answer that would make Teddy spin in his grave.

Originally posted here.