Quigley Statement on Nomination of Scott Pruitt for EPA Administrator

Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), a member of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), released the following statement on the announcement that Scott Pruitt, the attorney general of Oklahoma, is President-Elect Trump’s nominee for EPA Administrator:

Protecting our land, water, and air is a critical responsibility and our solemn duty to present and future generations. Doing our part to battle the ever-worsening impacts of man-made climate change is vital to ensuring a future where Americans have a place to live, food to eat, and a high standard of living fueled by a robust economy.

Given his previous statements rejecting the overwhelming science supporting the fact that climate change is man-made, his record opposing the Obama Administration’s efforts to address the climate crisis, his hostility toward common-sense environmental regulations on the oil and gas industries, as well as his previous ties to those corporations, I have grave reservations about Scott Pruitt’s ability to run the Environmental Protection Agency.

EPA is legally required to regulate climate-warming carbon emissions and a variety of other pollutants in order to protect America’s precious natural resources. I hope Mr. Pruitt will have a change of heart and demonstrate that he is willing to take the positive steps needed to usher in a low-carbon, environmentally responsible future and champion smart policies that help seize the opportunities of a clean economy and preserve the health and well-being of all Americans. However, if he chooses to fight environmental protections, ignore the potential of clean energy, and prioritize fossil fuel exploration at the expense of the planet, I stand ready to challenge his actions and hold the EPA accountable to its mission and its responsibilities on behalf of the American people.