Clean Air Council Statement on Nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

December 7, 2016

215-567-4004 ex. 116

joe_minott@cleanair.org

“Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt is a lifelong ally of corporate polluters. He has accepted more than $250,000 from the oil and gas industry in the last 15 years. As the principal legal officer of the state of Oklahoma, Pruitt has ignored multiple class-action lawsuits brought by local residents against drilling companies for inducing earthquakes by deep-well injecting hydraulic fracturing wastewater.

Pruitt’s nomination is a clear threat to Pennsylvania’s public health and the progress made to institute common-sense pollution standards. Concerned citizens everywhere should not tolerate the appointment of a fossil fuel cheerleader to lead the nation’s environmental protection efforts. In 2014, Pruitt literally acted as a messenger between Devon Energy and the EPA in an attempt to stifle public health protections.

Pennsylvania has come too far in reducing greenhouse gas pollution to accept this nomination. We deserve a leader who will fight climate change and hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for degrading air quality. ”

Joseph Otis Minott, Executive Director and Chief Counsel Clean Air Council

Clean Air Council is a Pennsylvania statewide environmental group that focuses on air pollution policy in addition to its clean energy, transportation, waste reduction and recycling, and indoor air quality programs.  Its mission is protecting everyone’s tight to clean air. The Council has offices in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. For more information on the Council’s check out Clean Air Council’s website www.cleanair.org