"Your state is having a record breaking number of earthquakes, you acknowledge you're concerned? If that's the kind of EPA administrator you will be, you're not going to get my vote." -Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont)
The national media has been flooded with coverage of the recent Senate hearings regarding the confirmation of several nominees for President Trump's cabinet. I have been doing my best to keep up with the key points of these hearings, but one particular nominee has my blood boiling.
Trump wants to appoint Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to the position of EPA administrator. The US Environmental Protection Agency has been placing federal regulations on multiple industries since its formation in 1970. The main purpose of the EPA is "working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people". This federal body has enforced many important regulations, including: the Clean Air Act of 1970, several Clean Water Acts, Pesticide Bans, and Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This organization protects the American people, thousands of native species of animals, plants, and other organisms -- and the environments that they live in.
Scott Pruitt is a "leading advocate against the EPA's activist agenda", according to his LinkedIn profile. Pruitt has challenged the decisions of the EPA multiple times. Pruitt opposes many of the regulations put in place by the Clean Power Plan, claiming they are "government overreach". When questioned by Senator Sanders about his opinion on carbon emission contribution to climate change, Pruitt disregards human responsibility for climate change.
Senator Sanders: "Let me ask you this, as you may know, some 97% of scientists who have written articles for peer reviewed journals have concluded that climate change is real. It is caused by human activity, and it is already causing devastating problems in our country and around the world. Do you believe that climate change is caused by the emission, by carbon emissions, by human activity?"
Pruitt: "Senator, as I indicated, you weren't in here during my opening statement, but as I indicated in my opening statement, the climate is changing and human activity contributes to that in some manner."
S: "In some manner?"
P: "Yes, sir."
S: "97% of the scientists who wrote articles in peer reviewed journals believe that human activity is the fundamental reason we are seeing climate change. You disagree with that?"
P: "I believe the ability to measure with precision the degree humans' impact on climate is subject to more debate on whether the climate is changing or that human activity contributes to it."
S: "While you are not certain, the vast majority of scientists are telling us that if we do not get our act together and transform our energy system away from fossil fuel, there is a real question as to the quality of the planet that we are going to be leaving our children and our grandchildren. So you are applying for a job as administrator for the EPA, to protect our environment, overwhelming majority of scientists say we've got to act boldly, and you're telling me that there needs to be more debate on this issue and that we should not be acting boldly?"
P: "No, Senator. As I've indicated, the climate is changing and human activity-"
S: "But you haven't told me why you think the climate is changing."
P: "Well, Senator, the job of the administrator is to carry out the statutes as passed by this body-"
S: "Why is the climate changing?"
P: "Senator, in response to the CO2 issue, the EPA administrator is constrained by statutes-"
S: "I'm asking your personal opinion."
P: "My personal opinion is immaterial."
S: "Really?"
P: "To the job of-"
S: "You're going to be the head of the agency to protect the environment and your personal feelings about whether climate change is caused by human activity and carbon emissions is immaterial?"
P: "Senator, I've acknowledged to you that human activity impacts the climate."
S: "Impacts?"
P: "Yes."
S: "The scientific community doesn't tell us it impacts. They say it is the cause of climate change. We have to transform our energy system. Do you believe we have to transform our energy system in order to protect the planet for future generations?"
P: "I believe the EPA has a very important role in regulating the emissions-"
S: "You didn't answer my question. Do you believe we have to transform our energy system away from fossil fuel to do what the scientific community is telling us, in order to make sure that this planet is healthy for our children and grandchildren?"
P: "Senator, I believe that the administrator has a very important role to perform in regulating CO2."
Have we already forgotten that Trump had once called climate change a hoax invented by the Chinese? Our POTUS has already denied climate change and continues to express disregard for the severity (or even existence) of climate change. Do we really need our President taking advice from another climate change denier?
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) questioning Pruitt on the human impact on climate change.
Last year, we witnessed the extinction of several species, including the Bramble Cays Melomys (rodent), Rabb's Treefrog, Stephan's Riffle Beetle, Tatum Cave Beetle, and the Barbados Racer (snake). We are only a few weeks into 2017 and we have already added several species to the endangered species list, like Bombus affinis(commonly known as the rusty-patched bumblebee). Over 90% of its population has been eradicated because of pesticides and habitat loss. How many species are we willing to lose permanentlybecause of the actions of climate change denying bed buddies of the industries that are causing the problems that endanger many species and human health?
In his home state of Oklahoma, Pruitt pressed that the EPA "overestimated" the level of pollutants in the environment as a result of fracking. The process of fracking not only releases airborne pollutants but also poisons water underground. In his Senate hearing, Pruitt was further questioned about the record high number of earthquakes Oklahoma has experienced.
Sen. Sanders: "Can you tell me, as I think all of us know, Oklahoma has been subjected to a record breaking number of earthquakes. Scientists in Oklahoma, scientists say that Oklahoma is almost certain to have more earthquakes with heightened risk of a large quake probable to endure for a decade, and that the cause of this is fracking. Can you point me, picking up on Senator Harris's discussion with you, can you point me to any opinion that you wrote, any enforcement actions you took against the companies that were injecting waste fracking water?"
Pruitt: "Senator, let me say, I'm very concerned about the connection between activity in Oklahoma-"
S: "And therefore you must have taken action? Can you tell me who you fined for doing this?"
P: "The corporation commission in Oklahoma is vested with the jurisdiction that actually acted on that."
S: "And you've made public statements expressing your deep concern about this?"
P: "We have with through our-"
S: "You've made statements, you're in a state that's experiencing a record breaking number of earthquakes. You're the attorney general. Obviously, you've stood up and said you'll do everything you can to stop future earthquakes as a result of fracking?"
P: "Senator, I've acknowledged that I'm concerned."
S: "Acknowledged that you are concerned? Your state is having a record number of- well if that's the kind of administrator for the EPA... Your state is having a record breaking number of earthquakes, you acknowledge you're concerned? If that's the kind of EPA administrator you will be, you're not going to get my vote."
On January 14, 2017 (only days before this hearing), a magnitude 3.2 earthquake hit Oklahoma. The state of Oklahoma experienced 623 magnitude 3 or higher earthquakes in 2016 (as opposed to the 109 observed in 2013). I can't help but agree with Senator Sanders here. Pruitt, your state is experiencing more earthquakes of higher magnitude and you are just a little concerned? Does that mean if the number of fish dying in a public lake as a result of pesticide poisoning from runoff increases 471% (the same percent increase of earthquakes), you'd only be a little concerned?
You have allowed an industry to poison the water, pollute the air, and now permanently affect the stability of the earth under your state. You have allowed the endangerment of your citizens, their businesses, and property for an industry that has been highly criticized by geologists and environmental scientists as being unsafe in all respects. Rather than protect, you are encouraging and supporting industrial disregard for the safety of the residents in their production area, in order to make profit. If you can let that slide in your state, what will you let slide nationally?
Scott Pruitt is not a good pick for EPA Administrator and has no place in heading an agency dedicated to the protection of American citizens and the wide variety of species that inhabit our country. We have to raise our voices to protect ourselves, our communities, and the health of our planet. We have a responsibility to ensure the health of those around us: human, animal, plant, and any other habituating species.
