Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt has attended fundraising of energy companies and lobbied for the industry. However, he could be the next head of the Environmental Protection Agency if confirmed.
President-elect Donald Trump has criticized the Environmental Protection Agency's moves under President Barack Obama. He said actions taken by the industry cost the U.S. several jobs. In line with his promise to bring more jobs to the America, Trump decided to pick Pruitt to lead the agency, NBC News reported.
Trump, who declared that he does not believe in climate change expects Pruitt to undo or stop any Environmental Protection Agency mandate that could hurt the oil and energy industry. The president-elect once claimed that climate change is just a scheme that China came up with to conquer the world.
Unlike Trump, Pruitt believes that climate change is happening, but he thinks that the human impact on the phenomenon has not really been proven yet. When asked by senators about how his views will affect how he lead the Environmental Protection Agency, he said it would not be material.
Democrats questioned his ties with the energy industry, asking how he can lead the Environmental Protection Agency if he had fought for the industry that it is fighting against, Politico reported. While he admitted to attending fundraising efforts of energy companies, he denied receiving donations from them.
While Democrats subjected him to intense questioning, the Oklahoma attorney general is still expected to secure the nomination to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. The impact of that remains to be seen, but climate change advocates around the world are bracing for the worst.
In another appointment-related news, Jobs & Hire previously reported that Trump is replacing DC National Guard, Major General Errol R. Schwartz, as soon as he takes the oath to serve as U.S. president.
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