Pruitt Leaves EPA Well Positioned to Advance Trump Pro-Growth Agenda

Scott Pruitt resigned yesterday as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), following months of nonstop controversy over a growing list of purported administrative improprieties. While some of the allegations against Pruitt may be nothing more than partisan smears, the sheer number of reported scandals forced Pruitt and his staff to spend more and more of their energy and time on damage control.

Ousting Pruitt has been a progressive movement objective from day one. Progressives may regret getting what they wished for, because EPA staff will now be able to concentrate on advancing the reform agenda Pruitt successfully launched.

A useful and concise review of what Pruitt and his team accomplished during his brief tenure is the agency’s June 4 press release, “EPA Celebrates 500 Days of American Greatness.” The document outlines nine key promises candidate and President-elect Trump made to the American people and the agency’s role in keeping those promises. 

Trump promised to withdraw from the Paris climate treaty, ensure clean air and water, reduce burdensome regulations, repeal the so-called Clean Power Plan, repeal the Waters of the U. S. Rule, promote U. S. energy dominance, promote science transparency in the regulatory process, end sue-and-settle regulation, and promote regulatory certainty for the auto industry.

Pruitt was the lead administration official backing President Trump’s promise to withdraw from the Paris treaty, and the EPA was the lead agency in implementing the other eight promises.