Scott Pruitt-EPA Head-Douche of the Day
It has taken this long for Trump’s EPA Chief, Scott Pruitt, to receive a Douche Bag of the Day award only because I haven’t had the time nor motivation to post much lately. All of his enumerable ethical lapses aside, maybe the worst action came this week when he set out a plan to severely limit the use of actual science by EPA scientists. A gift I’m sure for the $50/night luxury condo he is renting from his coal company friend.
The proposed rule would only allow the EPA to consider studies where the underlying data is made available publicly. Such restrictions could affect how the agency protects Americans from toxic chemicals, air pollution, and other health risks.
According to a Washington Post report:
Pruitt and proponents describe the new approach as an advance for transparency, one that will increase Americans’ trust and confidence in the research on which EPA decisions are based. “Today is a red-letter day,” he told a group of supporters at agency headquarters. “The science that we use is going to be transparent. It’s going to be reproducible.”
But a chorus of scientists and public health groups warn that the rule would effectively block the EPA from relying on long-standing, landmark studies on the harmful effects of air pollution and pesticide exposure. Such research often involves confidential personal or medical histories or proprietary information.
Combined with Pruitt’s earlier move to restrict who can serve on EPA Advisory Boards, it’s pretty clear they want to control the science and how it is presented. They have barred scientists who received agency grants for their research while still allowing those funded by industry.
And then, there is the mile-long list of ethical lapses. So, for just generally being not only a dickhead but a crooked, lying, anti-science, anti-environment dickhead, you get our Douche Bag of the Day Award Scott.
