INCOMING! Scott Pruitt's editorial barrage

Newspaper editorialists take aim at Scott Pruitt. A few come to his defense. Here's a coast-to-coast sampling.


Star-Ledger,Newark NJ: "Donald Trump doesn't even flinch when the EPA director locks lips with lobbyists and uses his budget as a slush fund."


Journal Times, Racine, WI: "EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has accumulated an astonishing array of wasteful-spending accusations during his time in office."

Lowell (MA) Sun: "The blizzard of ethical questions surrounding Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has become a Category 5 storm."

Gazette-Mail,Charleston, WV: "Donald Trump campaign crowds loved to chant, "Drain the swamp!" But if ever there was a political swamp creature, it's Scott Pruitt, the man Trump picked to head the EPA."

Houston Chronicle: "On the next episode of the Trump administration's reality show, the latest character the president needs to vote off the island is Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt."

Los Angeles Times:"(Pruitt) does not belong in public service. He's an embarrassment even to this administration. Which is saying something."

New York Times: "At Pruitt's E.P.A.: No Studies, No Data, No Rules."

Wall Street Journal:"The latest test of loyalty ... will be whether Mr. Trump stands behind Scott Pruitt as Washington's green political machine tries to oust the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator for supposedly grave ethics offenses."

Washington Post:"In any normal administration, Scott Pruitt would be gone."

Oklahoman:"Pruitt remains on the job and we hope that continues, because he's made a difference at the EPA."

Joplin (MO) Globe: "Pruitt is dangerous. He puts the interests of corporations above those of American citizens in direct opposition to the stated mission of the EPA to protect human health and the environment."

Chicago Tribune:"Under Scott Pruitt's leadership, EPA stands for Ethical Problems Abound. Or is it Ethical Practices Avoided?"


Senator Whitehouse & climate change

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.
Georgia’s coal-fired emissions decrease
John S. Quarterman/Flickr/Commercial use & mods allowedPictures by for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Georgia’s air polluted with fewer emissions as coal-fired electricity production winds down

A new report released this week offers a rare bit of positive climate news: Overall greenhouse emissions in Georgia declined 5% from 2017 to 2021, due largely to the state’s largest electric utility moving away from coal.

As Alberta burns, politicians 'dare not speak' of climate change

This election, the UCP and NDP are saying little about how they’d tackle global warming.
Developing country voices will be excluded at UN plastic talks
Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

Developing country voices will be excluded at UN plastic talks, say NGOs

Limits on numbers at Paris summit mean some of those ‘most needing to be heard’ will not be in attendance.

Why urban beekeeping won't help save bees

The explosion of urban beekeeping may be hurting wild bees.
Climate change destroys habitats
USFWS Midwest Region/Flickr/Commercial use & mods allowed/Public DomainPhoto by Jill Utrup/USFWShttps://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

Climate change destroys habitats. Relocation of the animals is tricky.

The big question is whether empowering wildlife officials to relocate endangered species like the Mexican gray wolf would help or hurt the environment.
debt ceiling clean energy
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

How a debt ceiling deal could help build more clean energy

The United States has big plans to move away from fossil fuels. There’s just one problem: The United States really isn’t very good at building clean energy.

From our Newsroom
halliburton fracking

How the “Halliburton Loophole” lets fracking companies pollute water with no oversight

Fracking companies used 282 million pounds of hazardous chemicals that should have been regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act from 2014 to 2021.

President Joe Biden climate change

Op-ed: Biden’s Arctic drilling go-ahead illustrates the limits of democratic problem solving

President Biden continues to deploy conventional tactics against the highly unconventional threat of climate change.

oil and gas wells pollution

What happens if the largest owner of oil and gas wells in the US goes bankrupt?

Diversified Energy’s liabilities exceed its assets, according to a new report, sparking concerns about whether taxpayers will wind up paying to plug its 70,000 wells.

Paul Ehrlich

Paul Ehrlich: A journey through science and politics

In his new book, the famous scientist reflects on an unparalleled career on our fascinating, ever-changing planet.

oil and gas california environmental justice

Will California’s new oil and gas laws protect people from toxic pollution?

California will soon have the largest oil drilling setbacks in the U.S. Experts say other states can learn from this move.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.