A grim New York Times report by Coral Davenport and Eric Lipton on the secretive way in which new Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt, surrounded by armed guards even in his office and enveloped in secrecy, is trying to dismantle the agency he's in charge of and essentially dismantle as well protections against dangers to American health and well-being. No matter what Donald Trump can't do, this sort of thing will be an unforgettable lasting legacy of his years in power. Tom
"When career employees of the Environmental Protection Agency are summoned to a meeting with the agency’s administrator, Scott Pruitt, at agency headquarters, they no longer can count on easy access to the floor where his office is, according to interviews with employees of the federal agency.
"Doors to the floor are now frequently locked, and employees have to have an escort to gain entrance.
"Some employees say they are also told to leave behind their cellphones when they meet with Mr. Pruitt, and are sometimes told not to take notes.
"Mr. Pruitt, according to the employees, who requested anonymity out of fear of losing their jobs, often makes important phone calls from other offices rather than use the phone in his office, and he is accompanied, even at E.P.A. headquarters, by armed guards, the first head of the agency to ever request round-the-clock security.
"A former Oklahoma attorney general who built his career suing the E.P.A., and whose Linkedin profile still describes him as “a leading advocate against the EPA’s activist agenda,” Mr. Pruitt has made it clear that he sees his mission to be dismantling the agency’s policies — and even portions of the institution itself.
"But as he works to roll back regulations, close offices and eliminate staff at the agency charged with protecting the nation’s environment and public health, Mr. Pruitt is taking extraordinary measures to conceal his actions, according to interviews with more than 20 current and former agency employees.
"Together with a small group of political appointees, many with backgrounds, like his, in Oklahoma politics, and with advice from industry lobbyists, Mr. Pruitt has taken aim at an agency whose policies have been developed and enforced by thousands of the E.P.A.’s career scientists and policy experts, many of whom work in the same building.
“There’s a feeling of paranoia in the agency — employees feel like there’s been a hostile takeover and the guy in charge is treating them like enemies,” said Christopher Sellers, an expert in environmental history at Stony Brook University, who this spring conducted an interview survey with about 40 E.P.A. employees...."
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| Scott Pruitt touts anti-environment agenda from a coal mine – ThinkProgress |
By Coral Davenport And Eric Lipton
