Rudhdi Karnik, Rudhdi.Karnik@sierraclub.org, 202-495-3055
WASHINGTON D.C.-- Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing to examine the nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to be U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator.
In response, Michael Brune, Sierra Club’s Executive Director, released the following statement:
“Scott Pruitt should know by now that you don’t go to a job interview and spend the whole time dodging questions. But there’s a reason he did that all day today: he’s unfit and unprepared to lead the Environmental Protection Agency and can’t justify his career full of attacks on the clean air and water protections he’s supposed to uphold. By regularly misrepresenting his record, he repeatedly failed to ensure the committee and the American people that he would prioritize their health and safety over the profits of dirty polluters. He says he has little knowledge about asthma statistics nationwide, neglected to look at the science behind lead contamination in drinking water, and hesitated to admit that fossil fuels contribute to climate change. He even forgot to immediately say ‘to protect the environment’ when asked to explain what the EPA Administrator’s role is.
“Simply put, Scott Pruitt is unprepared and unfit for the job. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and all Senators who care about their constituents should stand up for communities across the country and oppose this nomination.”