Jonathon Berman, jonathon.berman@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC -- To combat the widely-known understanding that he’s a mouthpiece for the fossil fuel and chemical industry, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt is trying to stake the claim that he’s not close with polluters and he’s really an environmentalist. When speaking with the Washington Post, Pruitt stated that in his view, “true environmentalism” means burning more and more dirty fossil fuels. Pruitt even tried to assuage the fact that he’s extremely close with the fossil fuel industry by claiming that these relationships “will ultimately make the air cleaner and the water safer to drink.”
During his tenure as EPA Administrator, Pruitt has let it be known that his goal is to undo and undermine nearly every existing environmental and climate safeguard, at times even using the fossil fuel industry’s formula’s for clean air and water rather than ones established by scientists.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:
“Scott Pruitt is an environmental steward in the same way the Marlboro Man is fighting lung cancer. Pruitt's obvious disconnect from reality is dangerous to your health, and his systematic destruction of our clean air and water laws is one of the biggest crises in our federal government today.”
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.