January, 09 2018, 04:00pm EDT
Pruitt Set to Slash EPA Scientists, Public Health Experts by Half
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt's mission to decimate the agency he heads is on track, as he works to eliminate roughly 50 percent of its scientists, researchers and others in charge of protecting the public from pollution.
WASHINGTON
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt's mission to decimate the agency he heads is on track, as he works to eliminate roughly 50 percent of its scientists, researchers and others in charge of protecting the public from pollution.
Aides to Pruitt confirmed to the Washington Examiner that by the end of President Trump's first term, the agency's staff will be cut by nearly half.
"There are certain people who should never hold any position where public health protection is a priority, and Scott Pruitt is one of them," said EWG President Ken Cook. "After Pruitt saps EPA of its talented workforce, rebuilding the required expertise to protect air, water and human health from pollution could take decades."
Pruitt told the Washington Examiner he was "proud" of his efforts to dismantle the very agency he leads, which is responsible for enforcing such critical programs as the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Air Act and the Superfund toxic waste cleanup program, among others.
Since Trump took office, more than 700 employees have already left the EPA, according to The New York Times and ProPublica.
Among the people who have quit are more than 200 scientists and nearly 100 environmental protection specialists.
At a Dec. 7 hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Pruitt testified that Toyota is partnering with the EPA to help the agency correct deficiencies in its management and accountability systems.
"I'm sure Toyota executives can imagine what would happen to the company's brand, reputation and the quality of their cars if they adopted Pruitt's approach," said Cook. "More accidents, injuries and fatalities always occur when companies or governments cut corners on safety, and the same fate will befall public health with Pruitt's assault on EPA."
Last month, Cook urged Toyota to halt its partnership with Pruitt and the Trump administration. "To do otherwise risks irreparable harm to Toyota's brand and reputation in the American marketplace," Cook wrote in a letter to the head of the company's North American division.
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'For the Workers, Not the Billionaires': Bernie Sanders to Join Nationwide Rallies for May Day
"Bernie knows that when the working class—labor, immigrants, community members—stand together, we are force that can defeat any bad boss," said the Philadelphia chapter of the AFL-CIO.
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As U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders continues his nationwide Fighting Oligarchy tour, the longtime economic justice advocate is joining forces with organizers of another major mass mobilization against the "Billionaire Agenda" that has left working families struggling to afford healthcare, education, and the rising cost of living.
On Thursday, one of more than 1,100 May Day rallies will be held at Philadelphia City Hall, where Sanders (I-Vt.) will join the city's AFL-CIO chapter under the banner, "For the Workers, Not the Billionaires."
Announcing that Sanders will speak at the rally at 4:00 pm Thursday, the union said on Facebook that "Bernie knows that when the working class—labor, immigrants, community members—stand together, we are force that can defeat any bad boss... When workers fight, workers win!"
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The events are taking place more than two months into Sanders' Fighting Oligarchy tour, during which he and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have drawn crowds of thousands in Republican districts in Nebraska, Iowa, Idaho, and other states—addressing a total of 250,000 people, about a third of whom are not registered Democrats, according to Sanders' office.
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Hundreds of scientists and experts working on the National Climate Assessment were dismissed by the Trump administration via email on Monday, casting doubt on the future of the federal government's flagship climate report, which was slated to come out by 2028.
On Monday, those working on the 6th version of the report received an email from the Trump administration that the scope of the assessment is being "reevaluated in accordance with the Global Change Research Act of 1990"—in reference to the legislation that mandated the creation of the National Climate Assessment.
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The assessment, which is required by Congress, has been released every few years since 2000 and gives a rundown of how global warming is impacting different sectors of the economy, ecosystems, and communities. The energy and environment focused outlet E&E Newsreported Tuesday that the report is "seen by experts as the definitive body of research about how global warming is transforming the country."
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The GOP-controlled House Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), released the bill Monday as part of a sweeping, filibuster-proof reconciliation package that Republicans are looking to pass as soon as next month.
The new bill states that "all FTC antitrust actions, all FTC antitrust employees, all FTC antitrust assets, and all FTC antitrust funding" must be "transferred to the attorney general." The proposal is virtually identical to Republican legislation that Elon Musk, a lieutenant of President Donald Trump and the richest person in the world, endorsed earlier this year.
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