Pruitt removed Obama era rules before he departed EPA

In a parting move against Obama-era environmental rules and regulations that he so steadfastly fought, Scott Pruitt left the EPA by signing a loophole to allow production of diesel freight trucks with high emissions.
His decision came before he resigned Friday as Environmental Protection Agency Administration and it undid the Obama administration rules that were aimed at capping production of the high-emission trucks at 300 a year starting this year.
Environmentalists described it as a “final blow” to clean air initiatives. Others described it as eliminating what they felt were burdensome regulations.
The vehicles in question are called “glider trucks” because they they use recycled engines before before new technology reduced the discharge of harmful particulates that pollute the air. Scientists contend the trucks emit as much as  55 times the amount of pollutants as trucks with modern engines.
Environmentalists naturally were critical of Pruitt’s midnight hour move. Vickie Patton, general counsel at the Environmental Defense fund blamed Pruitt and Andrew Wheeler, the new EPA administrator who took over this week.

“Pruitt and Wheeler are creating a loophole for super polluting freight trucks that will fill our children’s lungs with toxic diesel pollution, ignoring public comments from moms and leading businesses across the country,” she told the New York Times.

Even some large trucking firms were critical of Pruitt’s decision.