‘Sink or swim’ time for EPA under President Trump

By Greg Corombos

Donald Trump (Photo: Twitter)
Donald Trump (Photo: Twitter)

The congressman who led the effort to impeach outgoing EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy says he is very encouraged by Donald Trump’s choice to lead the agency, and he looks forward to an EPA that abides by the Constitution and a Congress that provides clear parameters for it to follow.

Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., says the job of the EPA, and the government as a whole, is to steward resources in a way that protects the earth while allowing free energy markets and supplies to flourish.

“We need an all-of-the-above energy policy,” Gosar told WND and Radio America. “Clean coal, gas, all of those should be on the same par as solar, geothermals and wind. This administration has chosen to pick winners and losers. That’s been problematic in the cost of energy that goes back to the consumer.”

Last week, Trump nominated Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the EPA. It was a a decision that made liberals and environmentalists livid.

“Having Scott Pruitt in charge of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is like putting an arsonist in charge of fighting fires. He is a climate science denier who, as attorney general for the state of Oklahoma, regularly conspired with the fossil fuel industry to attack EPA protections,” said Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune in a statement. “Nothing less than our children’s health is at stake.”

Former Obama Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer sounded an even greater alarm.

“At the risk of being dramatic, Scott Pruitt at EPA is an existential threat to the planet,” tweeted Pfeiffer.

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Gosar said the left needs to understand how it has bent and broken the law to advance its agenda.

“I think it’s interesting the far left starts throwing names around, when they should be looking in the mirror at the damage they’ve caused,” he said. “The rules that have come out of this EPA have been egregious and onerous and not embedded in statute.”

Gosar said he likes Pruitt’s track record of challenging the EPA when he believes it has overstepped its authority.

“He has gone forward with numerous suits against the EPA that have prevailed at the federal level and even at the Supreme Court,” he said. “So I think that this is a great pick in regards to getting back to reason within the EPA, and I’m looking forward to a common sense application of how we do things constitutionally by legislation.”

In many of the statements from environmental groups, Pruitt is hammered on the issues of clean water and clean air. Those criticisms refer primarily to Pruitt pushing back on specific rules such as Waters of the United States, or WOTUS, and cranking up the standards on power plants that critics believe could put the coal industry out of business.

WOTUS is especially critical in Arizona, and it ultimately became the issue through which Gosar pursued impeachment charges against McCarthy.

“The EPA decided to change their definition and jurisdiction of waters of the U.S. when, in fact, there were parts of five Supreme Court rulings that told them they couldn’t,” Gosar explained. “It also usurps states’ rights and local authorities who have authority over surface ground water and water that’s bestowed to the states.”

Listen to the WND/Radio America interview with Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.: 

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He said similar overreach can be seen on the much higher restrictions on carbon emissions.

“We set one standard, and we were trying to meet that standard, and the EPA turned around and changed the goalposts on the field, saying, that we’re going to go even further in picking winners and losers,” Gosar said. “Some of these standards have no basis in science and no basis in regard to application as well. It also trumps state sovereignty in regard to that application.”

With Republicans controlling the executive branch and both chambers in Congress, Gosar is hopeful a much more restrained, constitutional approach to environmental policy will be possible. Rolling back rules and regulations can be burdensome, but Gosar pointed out that the courts have already done some of that work. He said Pruitt, if confirmed, will also have considerable discretion.

“Some of these can go away by the intent of the EPA administrator, by saying, ‘Listen, we’re not going to go with these until Congress gives us further direction,'” Gosar said.

He also said Congress can have a great impact through the power of the purse.

In addition, the congressman expects a much less confrontational atmosphere.

“If we can work together effectively, we could actually see a much more adaptive and empowering type of EPA that works with states and local municipalities, instead of beating them over the head with a bat,” he said.

To make it work, however, Gosar said GOP leaders must make good on their promises on regulations, spending and more.

“The onus is on leadership,” he said. “There have been solutions on the table, and they have stalled them. From that standpoint, it’s also up to me to put them in that position where they either sink or swim – that they do what’s right or suffer consequences if they don’t follow through.”

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