EPA director wants state to view the agency 'as a friend'

Environmental Protection Agency director Scott Pruitt says, “We want the states to see the EPA as a friend.”
Pruitt is the Trump administration’s newly appointed director of the EPA. During the “Ceraweek by IHS Markit” conference in Houston, Texas, Pruitt announced the theme of the Trump administration regarding the role of the EPA.
According to the director, the Trump administration wants to develop an EPA that works with the states and private industries, as well as being pro-environment and pro-economic growth. Pruitt said that over the last several years, the EPA has adopted a philosophy that it cannot be pro-growth and pro-environment. Pruitt suggested a more conciliatory EPA by citing that it shouldn’t be reviewed as an adversary to economic development, but as a partner.
The EPA has been criticized over the last decade for hindering economic growth on a wide range of companies from oil-field based to utilities and because the Obama administration acted without Congressional approval, former Oklahoma Attorney General Pruitt initiated lawsuits to protect the state against improper environmental regulations. Pruitt cited that he believed that the Obama EPA violated the system of federalism and that the EPA had gone too far in some of their regulatory mandates.
Pruitt’s slogan, “We want the states to see the EPA as a friend,” was received with great enthusiasm at the Houston event. He said, “The greatest impediment to economic growth over the last few years has been regulatory uncertainty.”
He said that the confusion caused by federal regulations is currently being addressed by President Trump. Additionally, the president has issued an executive order for the EPA to analyze the Clean Water Act framework and repair the current course of action regarding regulatory excess.
As head of the EPA, Pruitt said that one of his priorities will be to address the 1,300 Super Fund Sites that require cleaning. He feels that the agency needs to have “a focus to restore.” There are many priority sites that have not been addressed or cleaned up after 30-40 years of being designated as “priority” clean-up areas. Pruitt stated this is straightforward unacceptable.
In concluding remarks, Pruitt said that the EPA needs to have an attitude to solve issues, which will be a primary objective during his leadership.