In His Own Words: Why EPA Administrator Pruitt Should Have Nothing To Do With The Clean Power Plan

If we’re serious about tackling climate change, we need the Clean Power Plan (CPP). Simply put, this important environmental policy would reduce the emissions of coal and gas-fired power plants by 16 percent by 2030, while at the same time avoiding 3,500 premature deaths per year.

However, there is one person who has long had a personal vendetta against the CPP: EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. During his time as Oklahoma Attorney General, he worked tirelessly through the courts, legislature, and the media to try to stop the EPA from moving forward with the CPP, hand in hand with the coal industry. And now, well, the fox isn’t just guarding the henhouse; the fox is inside the henhouse, having a feast.

Pruitt was sworn in as EPA Administrator on February 17, 2017, and since then, his diatribe against the CPP has continued unabated. This is a huge problem. Why? Because Pruitt is also currently presiding over a proposed rulemaking effort to repeal the CPP. Our laws entitle those interested in rulemaking to an impartial decision-maker. When it comes to the CPP, Pruitt is anything but impartial.

Leading a coalition of 19 states and municipalities, my office has sent the EPA a comment letter highlighting many of Pruitt’s remarks and social media posts against the CPP. While the list goes on and on, here are additional examples of damning statements that Pruitt has made on this matter. As you can see, he cannot credibly claim to have an open mind on the CPP.