Feb. 2, 2018 - On Jan. 30, EPA Chief Scott Pruitt testified before the Senate EPW Committee for close to three hours at a sometimes-tense oversight hearing. While Chair John Barrasso (R-WY) and most Republicans praised Pruitt at the hearing, Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-DE) and several other Democrats voiced frustration at his actions over the past year.
Pruitt spoke repeatedly about cooperative federalism, and also hinted at significant actions on car emissions, lead contamination and Waters of the US and other issues. He declined to give direct answers on most questions related to climate change.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) asked tough questions on lead contamination, as he said he was committed to eliminating it, but has seemed to delay efforts to move forward on updating EPA’s lead standards and proposed cuts to the agency’s lead abatement programs. (Bloomberg BNA, 1/30/18)
In addition, during the hearing, Carper told Pruitt that he would work to block two key EPA nominees until the President withdraws his nominee – Kathleen Hartnett White – to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality. White has questioned climate change science and criticized anti-pollution regulations. (PoliticoPRO, 1/30/18)
