Endless Pressure and Public Scandal Leads to Pruitt's Resignation as EPA Head

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, who spearheaded the Trump administration’s initiative to roll back Obama-era fuel economy standards for light vehicles, has resigned. Even after assuming the position, Pruitt remained a tough sell as head of the EPA. His stance on climate change was uncharacteristic of any modern-day environmentalist and he seemed utterly bent on corporate deregulation to bolster profits and stimulate the economy.

Then came a flurry of scandals stemming from frivolous spending habits, improper use of authority, and possible business ties that would inhibit his ability to act in an unbiased manner. Numerous federal investigations were launched into these matters.

While a number of the impropriety claims came from political opponents actively hunting for gaps in his armor, let’s face it, Pruitt hasn’t been making things particularly difficult for them.

His rental of a bedroom in a condominium located in an expensive area of Washington D.C. — owned by the wife of lobbyist — for $50 a night for several months was as strange as it was suspicious. But it was his alleged office habits that were the most damning. Pruitt reportedly had staff running personal errands for him, doing things like investigating real estate opportunities or helping him pursue a Chick-fil-A franchise. He also spent quite a bit of money on a private phone booth at the EPA and racked up huge bills by flying in first- and business-class seats as frequently as possible — even for extremely short trips.

EPA officials said the decision to fly first class was necessary because Pruitt had become recognizable due to widespread media coverage and was being subjected to vulgar language and aggressive behavior from the public. The agency head had even received death threats at his home. His security team claimed isolating him was best solution to the problem.

“If he’s surrounded by other members of the public or it’s a threat, their job is to push him and pull him away from those threats,” Henry Barnet , the director of EPA’s Office of Criminal Enforcement, said in a February interview with Bloomberg. “That’s why it is imperative to keep him away from the individuals so they can keep him safe.”

General support of Pruitt was already waning in the lead-up to various House subcommittees on Capitol Hill earlier this year — where he was accused of being irresponsible with money and no protector of the environment. While some of the charges against him were indefensible, he did have a rebuttal for the fuel economy rollback. It’s been his assertion that the burden to maintain the existing efficiency mandates on automobiles weighs heavy on the industry and is largely unrealistic.

Automakers may be able to squeak by, enduring moderate financial penalties in the coming years, but he feels that consumers won’t respond to more fuel efficient vehicles. This is debatable, especially if the industry has to offer them, but there’s evidence to support his claim. The practical efficiency of new vehicles hasn’t gone up in several years when you account for American buying habits. People are selecting heavier automobiles and not placing a strong emphasis on efficiency.

Be that as it may, Pruitt’s deregulation crusade still caused quite a bit of negative publicity. Some of his decisions have no rebuttal that doesn’t revolve around claims that the EPA has gotten overzealous in recent years — something which began when he was Oklahoma’s attorney general. But a lot of Pruitt’s decisions just look like he’s doing businesses that want to pollute a series of large favors.

Several aides and communications officers quit the EPA this year while the Democrats clamored for his resignation. Even some Republican lawmakers have stopped defending him from criticism. Meanwhile, the EPA’s own Science Advisory Board said the agency was ignoring its own research to rationalize its push to deregulate.

President Donald Trump announced in a tweet on Thursday that he had officially accepted Pruitt’s resignation. “Within the Agency Scott has done an outstanding job and I will always be thankful to him for this,” Trump said.

Andrew Wheeler, a former lobbyist for the coal industry, will take over the agency as acting administrator on Monday. While his agenda is likely to be similar to that of Pruitt, most expect him to take a more moderate stance and not push quite so hard for widespread deregulation.

[Image: Lorie Shaull/ Wikimedia Commons ( CC BY-SA 2.0)]