Scott Pruitt to head the EPA

[cannon_fodder]

Support whatever agenda you want.  My pet peeve is ignoring or manipulating evidence if it doesn't fit your agenda.  There is plenty of ground for making changes to the EPA without having to flat out reject science, let alone passive aggressively threatening people who are actually conducting science ("what?  You did a peer reviewed study that reached a conclusion I don't like!  I demand to know your funding level..."  that's basically telling other researchers what results they better get).

I'm looking forward to the hearings on scientific evidence.  All steps taken by the EPA are supposed to be based on evidence back science (burning coal produces mercury, mercury causes health issues with humans, ergo - regulating mercury output is OK) and there are hearings where that can be challenged.  based on history, Pruitt is willing to argue that stopping Colorado from legalizing marijuana is a matter of Oklahoma's "states rights,"  that the Ten Commandments are in no way religious, and that Federal Preemption isn't a real thing.

So I suspect we have some sad hearings ahead...

[Conan71]

So I suspect we have some sad hearings ahead...

Reminds me of a Cards Against Humanity Card.  I only wish this would be funny.  It won't.

[Vashta Nerada]

Reminds me of a Cards Against Humanity Card.  I only wish this would be funny.  It won't.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/politics/article/It-s-a-tough-time-in-Oklahoma-except-for-Scott-10808432.php

[heironymouspasparagus]

Amidst all the ugliness of the coming years...let's have a little beam of light and hope for better...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj6r3-sQr58

[AquaMan]

Quite nice. Thank you. Italy?

[BKDotCom]

Quite nice. Thank you. Italy?

Barcelona

[patric]

based on history, Pruitt is willing to argue that stopping Colorado from legalizing marijuana is a matter of Oklahoma's "states rights,"  that the Ten Commandments are in no way religious, and that Federal Preemption isn't a real thing.

Hes got big swamp money behind him:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/government/d-c-report-gop-group-pushing-scott-pruitt-s-nomination/article_b090e7d7-30f0-594d-be96-34409e3b0f74.htm




"It's Got What Plants Crave"

[patric]

Scott Pruitt, President Trump's EPA Nominee, Ordered to Release Thousands of Emails

Oklahoma County District Judge Aletia Haynes Timmons told Pruitt's office that it would have to hand over the emails to the Center for Media and Democracy, or CMD, which requested the first batch of documents in 2014, or to the court.
But the CMD and Pearson said Pruitt's office intentionally withheld documents. Of the 411 emails it received for its initial request, the investigative group identified 27 that had been provided to The New York Times in a 2014 Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation that revealed that Pruitt had taken fracking rules drafted by Devon Energy, an Oklahoma oil company, and passed them as his own.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/scott-pruitt-president-trump-s-epa-nominee-ordered-release-thousands-n722161

[heironymouspasparagus]

Scott Pruitt, President Trump's EPA Nominee, Ordered to Release Thousands of Emails

Oklahoma County District Judge Aletia Haynes Timmons told Pruitt's office that it would have to hand over the emails to the Center for Media and Democracy, or CMD, which requested the first batch of documents in 2014, or to the court.
But the CMD and Pearson said Pruitt's office intentionally withheld documents. Of the 411 emails it received for its initial request, the investigative group identified 27 that had been provided to The New York Times in a 2014 Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation that revealed that Pruitt had taken fracking rules drafted by Devon Energy, an Oklahoma oil company, and passed them as his own.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/scott-pruitt-president-trump-s-epa-nominee-ordered-release-thousands-n722161

Not quite up to Bush's 22 million emails deleted from a private server hosted in the White House but same process in mind.

[swake]

He's going to be confirmed today.

Will he be next weeks crisis for the administration as his emails are poured over by the press starting today? I'm guessing so. Trump's vetting processes seem to be lacking. But then, ALL Trump's processes seems to be lacking.

[heironymouspasparagus]

So at least we will now get the opportunity to resume our spot as #1 in earthquakes - since he says he is gonna remove all regulations from oil companies.   Bring on the injection wells!!

[Townsend]

Senate confirmed him

[Ed W]

Senate confirmed him

What next? Victoria Jackson for the Department of Education? Oh, wait....

[patric]

Senate confirmed him

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — As a result of an Open Records Act request and lawsuit filed by the Center for Media and Democracy, on Tuesday night the Oklahoma Attorney General's office released a batch of more than 7,500 pages of emails and other records it withheld prior to Scott Pruitt's nomination as EPA Administrator last Friday.

The AG's office has withheld an undetermined number of additional documents as exempted or privileged and submitted them to the Judge Aletia Haynes Timmons for review. A number of other documents were redacted, and CMD will be asking for the court to review those as well. On February 27, the AG's office has been ordered to deliver records related to five outstanding requests by CMD.

"There is no valid legal justification for the emails we received last night not being released prior to Pruitt's confirmation vote other than to evade public scrutiny," said Arn Pearson, general counsel for CMD.

http://www.exposedbycmd.org/Scott-Pruitt-Missing-Emails

[cannon_fodder]

I like how they are patting themselves on the back for transparency after a couple of years and a Court order...

The office had until 5 p.m. Tuesday to comply with District Judge Aletia Haynes Timmons's order to turn over emails and other documents to the Wisconsin-based Center for Media and Democracy, which requested the documents more than two years ago under Oklahoma's Open Records Act.

. . .

"The office went above and beyond what is required under the Open Records Act and produced thousands of additional documents that, but for the court's order, would typically be considered records outside the scope of the act," Ferguson said in an emailed statement.

"This broad disclosure should provide affirmation that, despite politically motivated allegations, the office of attorney general remains fully committed to the letter and spirit of the Open Records Act," Ferguson said.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/usworld/epa-head-scott-pruitt-s-emails-with-energy-companies-to/article_71b58f26-0c26-5ac1-baf1-bef88b749d3f.html