As Scott Pruitt enters week three of his rein over the Environmental Protection Agency, environmentalists are still curious as to what kind of enforcement of environmental laws he will demand and carry out.
As Environment and Energy reporter Mike Soraghan wrote this week, “Pruitt’s philosophy on environmental enforcement is mostly unknown. He doesn’t have much of a record on the topic from his time as Oklahoma’s Republican attorney general, and it didn’t come up much during his confirmation process.”
At least two points of view exist according to Soraghan’s story.
“He comes from a ‘rule of law’ philosophy,” said former EPA enforcement attorney Rich Alonso. “That’s good for enforcement.”
Then there’s the other side.
“I think he’s going to be awful,” said Eric Schaeffer, who ran the EPA’s Office of Civil Enforcement from 1997 to 2002. “I hope I’m wrong.”
“Environmental groups say they expect the worst. But some agency veterans say law enforcement is where GOP environmental officials can really shine,” wrote Soraghan.