Robert Gamer: Author & Activist

In his previous administration, Donald Trump appointed Scott Pruitt as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Touted by conservatives for his aggressive deregulation of environmental restrictions, the lawyer and lobbyist from Oklahoma was ultimately forced to resign due to ethics violations, primarily involving spending abuses. For example, Pruitt stayed in luxury hotels that exceeded government cost limits, brought along a government-funded security team, and flew first-class on airlines not approved by the government to accrue frequent flyer points. Additionally, he allegedly used two email addresses to withhold public information from record requests. Pruitt also rented a Capitol Hill condo owned by an energy lobbyist. One of his aides, Millan Hupp, reportedly acted as his real estate agent at taxpayer expense, contacting sellers and touring properties on his behalf. These controversies represent only part of his contentious tenure.

From an environmentalist’s perspective, Pruitt’s record as EPA head was disastrous. Like many in the Trump administration, he expressed skepticism about the role humans play in climate change, contradicting a wealth of scientific evidence. Under his leadership, the EPA removed references to climate change from several web pages. He revised Obama-era greenhouse gas emission standards for automobiles, rolling back stricter car emission rules. Pruitt also proposed changes to coal ash regulations, enabling states to test less frequently for groundwater contamination. He withdrew the “once-in, always-in” policy under the Clean Air Act, which dictated how major sources of air pollutants were regulated, and suspended the Waters of the United States rule, designed to limit pollution in 60% of the nation’s bodies of water. Most significantly, Pruitt oversaw the withdrawal from the Clean Power Plan.

The reason for revisiting Scott Pruitt’s tenure relates to Donald Trump’s reported plan to appoint Lee Zeldin as the head of the EPA in his upcoming administration. Zeldin’s environmental track record is not encouraging, as reflected by his 14% rating from the League of Conservation Voters, a national environmental advocacy group. One of his first tasks is expected to involve rolling back several of President Biden’s climate initiatives, including stricter tailpipe regulations and rules aimed at reducing pollution from power plants and oil and gas companies.

At a time when protecting the environment is more critical than ever, Zeldin’s leadership could echo the policies of Scott Pruitt, further imperiling efforts to combat climate change. With the window to mitigate global warming rapidly closing, the “green thumb” risks being turned down permanently.