President-elect Trump recently selected Scott Pruitt to be head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), causing many environmentalists to grow concerned about the future of the agency, as well as the future of our environment in general. Then again, the EPA is a complex organization with a long history and ardent supporters, so Pruitt’s power may be somewhat limited. So just how devastating will this appointment be for the EPA?
What We Know About Scott Pruitt
First, we need to look at Pruitt’s history and current position on a number of environmental issues. For starters, Pruitt is an avid climate change denier; earlier in 2016, he wrote in the National Review, “Scientists continue to disagree about the degree and extent of global warming and its connection to the actions of mankind. That debate should be encouraged — in classrooms, public forums, and the halls of Congress. It should not be silenced with threats of prosecution. Dissent is not a crime.” He has also been a pivotal figure in building a legal case against the Obama Administration’s new policies on climate change.
Pruitt also holds strong favoritism toward American businesses. He’s gone on record saying one of his biggest responsibilities as head of the EPA will be ensuring that less money is spent and freedom for businesses and corporations is preserved. Though non-specific, this position undermines the importance of true environmental protection.
These positions seem to reflect and amplify positions already held by Trump himself. Throughout his campaign, Trump has made a number of anti-environmental policies clear, including a desire to escape the Paris accords and completely dismantle the EPA altogether. He has also criticized Obama’s forward-thinking energy policies as being a “war on coal.”
Limitations of Power
Denying climate change and criticizing excessive spending in the EPA aren’t tangibly destructive actions. So just how much damage could Pruitt cause as head of the EPA?
- EPA responsibility. Most environmental laws aren’t written specifically; instead, they dictate that the EPA has the power to interpret and enforce them as it sees fit. This puts more power in Pruitt’s hands, though he won’t be making decisions alone in the process.
- Budgeting and hiring. Pruitt doesn’t have the direct power to destroy the EPA, but he could functionally do so by dramatically throttling the budget of the organization and intentionally hiring more people who fall in line with his anti-scientific, pro-corporate views. These aren’t changes that would make an immediate impact, but over the course of a few years, this could completely transform and compromise the nature of the organization.
- Upheaval. There is, of course, the possibility for Pruitt to be ousted as head of the EPA from the get-go. Pruitt still needs Congressional confirmation to be put into power, and if enough Republicans can be convinced of his lack of experience and credibility, his nomination can be blocked. Beyond that, any egregious actions against the best interests of the EPA or the American people can theoretically have him brought up on charges. Hopefully, that alone will be enough to prevent him from drastically destructive changes.
What You Can Do Now
Are you concerned about what Pruitt and Trump could do to our environment? There are some things you can do to fight back:
- Speak up. First of all, speak up. Consider starting your own website or blog—it’s simpler than you might think—and write about your opinions. Talk to your friends and family members, and keep reading the news to stay abreast of what’s going on. Then, call your Congressional representatives and make your stance on environmental policies and the EPA known.
- Maintain your individual efforts to protect the environment. Pruitt can’t stop you from recycling, carpooling, and taking other individual efforts to protect our environment. Keep up those efforts, and encourage the people around you to do the same.
- Fight for legislation at the local level. There isn’t much you can do about federal laws and regulations, but you can fight for better environmental policies at a local level. Attend community events and speak with your local politicians to push for more environmental activism.
- Donate to environmental causes. There are a ton of worthy, charitable, environmental organizations you can donate to, including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and the Sierra Club Foundation. Consider donating to keep these organizations up and running.
We’re going to survive this environment-bashing administration, but if we want to preserve the cleanliness of our air and water and fight back against climate change, we’ll need to take more individual efforts to do it. If enough of us keep working hard to maintain our environment, no single position of political power can reverse our momentum.