Terrible news out of Washington, DC today - the Senate has confirmed Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), despite his being a climate denier, sworn enemy of the EPA, and close ally of the fossil fuel industry.
Sierra Club activists are among the millions of Americans who spoke out against Pruitt since he was first nominated, and because of that public opposition he will enter office as the most controversial, unpopular EPA Administrator in history - that‘s important, and it wouldn’t have happened without the hard work of the grassroots. In a bold and rarely used move, Democrats boycotted his subcommittee hearing because of his refusal to provide clear answers to important questions. Journalists and non-profits uncovered scandal after scandal with Pruitt - the list seemed to grow daily.
From refusing to release thousands of emails that would show the extent of his ties to the fossil fuel industry; to suing the EPA to stop climate, clean air and water safeguards; to ignoring pleas from Oklahomans suffering from nearby coal ash pollution or fracking-related earthquakes; to denying climate science and so much more - Pruitt demonstrated that he is the most dangerous person to take the helm of the agency charged with protecting public health and the environment.
Then, on the day before the vote in an eleventh hour twist, a judge ordered him to turn over thousands of emails with the fossil fuel industry that he had withheld for years. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to persuade GOP leaders to delay his vote, but we will see them nonetheless. Make no mistake about it, Scott Pruitt will have a rocky road ahead.
Scott Pruitt is the most controversial and dangerous EPA chief ever. He will start work next week with a dark cloud of opposition and contention over his head.
So now what? We continue the resistance! We hold accountable those senators who voted for Pruitt’s confirmation. We fight back in court. We talk to our friends and get them involved when Pruitt attempts to rollback our bedrock air, water, and climate protections. Here are some specific things you can do right away:
1. Show up a the town hall meetings your Members of Congress are holding next week during the Congressional recess, February 20 - 24, and demand they push the EPA and Pruitt to not bow to the coal, oil, and gas industry. You can find the town hall meetings near you in this spreadsheet created by the Town Hall Project 2018.
2. If you don’t have a town hall meeting in your area, we drop off postcards or letters at your nearest Congressional district offices, take a photo, and post it to social media tagging @SierraClub and #SaveTheEPA or #ClimateResistance. You can download a printable postcard and find other tips at our Town Hall guide here.
The EPA must be guided by science to protect public health and the environment. We will fight to block all Pruitts schemes that will poison our air and water, expose people to toxins, and threaten any work aimed at halting climate disruption.
Time and time again, Scott Pruitt has stood up for polluters, and has left regular Americans harmed by pollution to fend for themselves as they suffer the losses of their health and property.
Join us as we resist and protect our air, water, and climate for everyone.