Jonathon Berman, jonathon.berman@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC -- Today, it is widely expected that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt will dismiss science advisers who have received Agency grants from the EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB), replacing them with figures tied to the fossil fuel and chemical industries. Pruitt is claiming the action is being taken to eliminate conflicts of interest among scientists, but the move is widely understood to be an attack on science, which Pruitt either ignores or denies. Furthermore, those Pruitt is seeking to place on the SAB have been well known to advise or push Pruitt and Donald Trump since they took office.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:
"Scott Pruitt doesn't want to listen to a word from anyone who isn't in the pocket of corporate polluters. Of course Pruitt doesn't want to support science or hear from anyone who is respected in the scientific community, because science makes clear that Pruitt's policies are disastrous for the health of our kids and our communities. For Pruitt, anything that helps corporate polluters make money is good and science and facts are just roadblocks he wants to tear down."
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.