Scott Pruitt

Oil Lobby Spending Less As Sympathetic Legislators, President Provide More Favors

Flanked by former Exxon executive, now Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting., June 12, 2017. (AP/Andrew Harnik)
MINNEAPOLIS– The oil and gas industry has spent over $36 million lobbying Congress so far this year, a massive figure that speaks to the fossil fuel industry’s weight in Washington. Among the top spenders so far have been ExxonMobil, Chevron and Koch Industries, which have spent well over $3 million dollars apiece.

Waters at Risk? EPA Will Revoke the Clean Waters Act of 1972

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the direction of the Trump administration, will revoke a rule that gives the agency broad authority over regulating the pollution of tributaries and wetlands that flow into the country’s largest rivers. [1]
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt told Congress on June 27, 2017, that the agency would “provide clarity” by “withdrawing” the rule, and follow standards set in 2008. Pruitt had previously said he would recuse himself from working on litigation to the rule.
Said Pruitt:

President Trump Withdraws U.S. from Paris Climate Accord

President Donald Trump announced June 1, 2017, that he was withdrawing the United States from the Paris climate accord, keeping a campaign promise many had hoped he would abandon.
During a White House press conference, Trump said he was open to renegotiating aspects of the agreement. But France, Germany, and Italy said they considered the accord “a cornerstone in the cooperation between our countries, for effectively and timely tackling climate change” that could not be renegotiated. [1]

In “Watershed Moment” Merkel Says Germany Can No Longer Rely On America

(ZHEOne day after Donald Trump infuriated Angela Merkel and the rest of his G-7 peers, when the US president refused to endorse the Paris climate treaty, prompting the German chancellor to say  that “the whole discussion about climate has been difficult, or rather very unsatisfactory… here we have the situatio