Federal Communications Commission
In the topsy-turvy world of the Trump administration, Scott Pruitt is out as EPA administrator, and Andrew Wheeler, his former deputy, is in -- for now.
Wheeler, a former lobbyist for the Murray Energy coal company and aide to Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma (renowned for his steadfast, vehement denial of climate science), is expected to follow the same anti-environmental policies as Pruitt, without all the avoidable scandals.
Among Pruitt's many grifts was his desire to be ferried around town like an A-class autocrat (rather than his actual status as a bush-league bureaucrat): flashing lights, wailing sirens, security detail. At the time, the New York Times declared that "such use was not consistent with agency policy."
This had me wondering: What is agency policy? I filed a Freedom of Information Act request and the EPA recently responded with a straightforward policy that makes it clear that "[e]mergency driving is prohibited under those circumstances where such driving would unnecessarily endanger the safety of the public, and is not authorized for routine or non-emergency purposes."
The EPA's examples of acceptable circumstances include transporting a seriously injured person to a medical facility or responding to the threat of death or serious bodily injury. Given that Pruitt apparently had agents rush through traffic in order to make his dinner and flight reservations, it's fair to say that these would not constitute emergency purposes.
The policy goes on to say that agents "may not engage in either emergency driving or the use of any signaling or warning … solely to facilitate movement through traffic congestion." Furthermore, it is allowed "only under those circumstances where the seriousness of the emergency outweighs the risks and dangers created by such driving."
The policy on emergency driving of government-owned vehicles comes from the EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, the law enforcement office that was forced to transfer agents to Pruitt's personal security detail and away from investigating environmental crimes.
It's not the first time Pruitt failed to follow the rules, nor is it his only car- or travel-related scandal. Who can forget the bulletproof seats and run-flat tires, the first-class and military flights, or the vacations funded by flimsy work excuses? Not to mention the rollback of efficient mileage standards and his farewell gift on his final day in office: a loophole for "super polluter" trucks.
So, if Wheeler is just a straitlaced Pruitt, here's some advice for him:
Drive yourself. If you're running late to Le Diplomate or the White House mess, call ahead and let them know. D.C. drivers will appreciate you leaving the sirens to actual law enforcement.
Know when to lead, and when to follow. If "cooperative federalism" means anything at the EPA, then it must also exist for states you don't agree with. For the cases in which the EPA is dragging its collective feet, let other states be in the driver's seat (see: California's clean car rules). Federal standards should be the floor, not the ceiling, when it comes to protecting public health.
Listen to others (including critics) and change direction. This may come as a surprise to a coal lobbyist, but large majorities of the public want the government to be doing more to stem climate change, air pollution, and other environmental problems. Listen to the public (especially scientists). And if teachers start approaching you at restaurants demanding your resignation "before your scandals push you out," take that to heart. Had Pruitt listened to Kristin Mink, he wouldn't have suffered the embarrassment of being fired by chief of staff John Kelly mere days later.