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babylonsister

(171,096 posts)
Sun Apr 9, 2017, 08:19 PM Apr 2017

It's Not Me, It's You: EPA Staffer Quits With Candid Letter to Pruitt

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/04/07/its-not-me-its-you-epa-staffer-quits-candid-letter-pruitt

Published on Friday, April 07, 2017
by Common Dreams

It's Not Me, It's You: EPA Staffer Quits With Candid Letter to Pruitt

'You will continue to undermine your credibility and integrity with EPA staff, and the majority of the public, if you continue to question this basic science of climate change'
by Nadia Prupis, staff writer


"I have worked under six administrations with political appointees leading EPA from both parties. This is the first time I remember staff openly dismissing and mocking the environmental policies of an administration and by extension you." (Photo: Lorie Shaull/flickr/cc)


An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employee stepped down after 30 years on the job last week with a letter to EPA chief Scott Pruitt that left no doubt the reason for his resignation—Pruitt's leadership and the Trump administration.

Michael Cox served as a climate change adviser to EPA's Region 10, covering Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. His resignation comes as President Donald Trump seeks to defund the agency by 31 percent, lay off 25 percent of its employees, and axe 56 programs—including two that focus on protecting children from lead—as revealed by a 64-page budget memo published last week by the Washington Post.

"I, along with many EPA staff, are becoming {increasingly} alarmed about the direction of EPA under your leadership," Cox wrote to Pruitt. "I have worked under six administrations with political appointees leading EPA from both parties. This is the first time I remember staff openly dismissing and mocking the environmental policies of an administration and by extension you."

"You will continue to undermine your credibility and integrity with EPA staff, and the majority of the public, if you continue to question this basic science of climate change," he wrote.


Post columnist Joe Davidson spoke with several EPA staffers throughout the country, who confirmed that the mood at the agency was grim—so much so that they requested anonymity for fear of retaliation.

"It is pretty bleak," said one environmental engineer.

"It's in the dumps," said another.

Cox's letter continued:

I, and many staff, firmly believe the policies this administration is advancing are contrary to what the majority of the American people, who pay our salaries, want EPA to accomplish, which are to ensure the air their children {breathe} is safe; the land they live, play, and hunt on to be free of toxic chemicals; and the water they drink, the lakes they swim in, and the rivers they fish in to be clean.

[...] Good luck and just remember that EPA staff will respond to leadership that takes into account the science and the opinions of individuals who have devoted their entire lives to fulfilling the mission of EPA—to protect human health and the environment.


He outlined eight reasons that morale has plummeted at the agency, including Pruitt's denial of climate science—which he called "surprising, no shocking"—as well as the administration's antagonistic tone and "openly hostile" political appointees. Cox's final suggestion to Pruitt was simply, "Please step back and listen to EPA career staff."

"We understand that our positions may not always prevail, but please take the time to listen to expert voices that might differ from yours and your immediate staff," he wrote. "You may be surprised that you can find common ground on many issues. The health of the American people and our country depends on you."
32 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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It's Not Me, It's You: EPA Staffer Quits With Candid Letter to Pruitt (Original Post) babylonsister Apr 2017 OP
K&R nt flying rabbit Apr 2017 #1
Sad thing is Pruitt doesn't care nini Apr 2017 #2
None of 45 supporters care and neither does 45. He will if a few of his golf courses get ruined nikibatts Apr 2017 #3
Pruitt is in it for the money KelleyKramer Apr 2017 #12
I wish he would! atreides1 Apr 2017 #22
Sadly ridding the EPA of competent scientists and administrators will thrill 45* groundloop Apr 2017 #4
I wonder if dt even has a clue about the ramifications of what he's babylonsister Apr 2017 #6
K&R brer cat Apr 2017 #5
Pruitt was appointed to dismantle the EPA. mn9driver Apr 2017 #7
kick grantcart Apr 2017 #8
KnR Hekate Apr 2017 #9
Typical Trump voter opinion on the matter would be... Beartracks Apr 2017 #10
K&R sheshe2 Apr 2017 #11
I envision a growing association of fRump whistle-blower professionals. lindysalsagal Apr 2017 #13
President Bannon is good at his job sellitman Apr 2017 #14
With the hiring freeze (likely permanent for the EPA) he won't be replaced. briv1016 Apr 2017 #15
"One less Leftie to Fire" n2doc Apr 2017 #16
All of the Trumpsters who work in the many refineries in my area will be Dustlawyer Apr 2017 #17
Letter is just too damn nice. As if he were talking to a normal human being.. pangaia Apr 2017 #18
This is so depressing narnian60 Apr 2017 #19
Hope that only those mofos like Pruitt get the negative effects they induce BSdetect Apr 2017 #20
Mission Accomplished! mikeysnot Apr 2017 #21
The sly faux laughs all the way to the bank lambchopp59 Apr 2017 #23
That's a perfect essay. I'd love to put it on my FB page. BlancheSplanchnik Apr 2017 #26
SOP bora13 Apr 2017 #24
K&R. dchill Apr 2017 #25
😰 BlancheSplanchnik Apr 2017 #27
pro lead? we need to see his tax returns. what has he invested in. pansypoo53219 Apr 2017 #28
It's the Mercers and Bannon. zentrum Apr 2017 #29
My wife is at the EPA here in D.C. GetRidOfThem Apr 2017 #30
And who is ruling Agent Orange RE the EPA budget? Bannon? Putin? Corporations? Mercers? Amaryllis Apr 2017 #31
Kick.. coco22 Apr 2017 #32
 

nikibatts

(2,198 posts)
3. None of 45 supporters care and neither does 45. He will if a few of his golf courses get ruined
Sun Apr 9, 2017, 09:50 PM
Apr 2017

by environmental catastrophe.

KelleyKramer

(8,983 posts)
12. Pruitt is in it for the money
Mon Apr 10, 2017, 03:26 AM
Apr 2017

There is a huge payday waiting for him when he leaves the EPA

People like Pruitt would poison their own children if the price is right

Sadly, that's what we are up against

atreides1

(16,093 posts)
22. I wish he would!
Mon Apr 10, 2017, 12:29 PM
Apr 2017

Poison his own children...that way the little prick would be in a cage where he belongs!!!

groundloop

(11,523 posts)
4. Sadly ridding the EPA of competent scientists and administrators will thrill 45*
Sun Apr 9, 2017, 09:59 PM
Apr 2017

Once the EPA is nothing but a ghost of it's former self 45* and his super-rich buddies can pollute as they please and make tons of money doing it.


babylonsister

(171,096 posts)
6. I wonder if dt even has a clue about the ramifications of what he's
Sun Apr 9, 2017, 10:09 PM
Apr 2017

doing via those that speak for him.

Beartracks

(12,821 posts)
10. Typical Trump voter opinion on the matter would be...
Sun Apr 9, 2017, 10:55 PM
Apr 2017

... "If they're pissing off Democrats/bureaucrats, they must be doing something right!"

Who knows - that could very well be Pruitt's response, too.

====================

lindysalsagal

(20,733 posts)
13. I envision a growing association of fRump whistle-blower professionals.
Mon Apr 10, 2017, 06:34 AM
Apr 2017

I hope the ACLU can help organize and broadcast their arguments.

sellitman

(11,607 posts)
14. President Bannon is good at his job
Mon Apr 10, 2017, 06:36 AM
Apr 2017

His stated goal was to destroy the EPA. He couldn't have picked a better man for the job.

Dustlawyer

(10,497 posts)
17. All of the Trumpsters who work in the many refineries in my area will be
Mon Apr 10, 2017, 08:51 AM
Apr 2017

shocked at the changes coming. Their families live nearby and these people know what is in those plants. Now it will be in our air and water even more than before. We have a Koch refinery 30 minutes from where i live. Think they are going to be responsible? Deregulation will hit our area hard! I am getting my house ready to sell.

BSdetect

(8,999 posts)
20. Hope that only those mofos like Pruitt get the negative effects they induce
Mon Apr 10, 2017, 11:31 AM
Apr 2017

Of course it will effect all of us.

Time to nail them good

lambchopp59

(2,809 posts)
23. The sly faux laughs all the way to the bank
Mon Apr 10, 2017, 12:34 PM
Apr 2017

Astonishing levels of deluded behavior from the RW zombies include late facebook posts of how they're succeeding at "destroying liberalism" in America.
Gee, how would that work, exactly?
First, they must dismantle and destroy about 99 percent of colleges and universities, worldwide.
Burn all the books and internet information that doesn't conform to the RW agenda.
And of course, allow the biggest corporations to enslave anyone without millions of dollars. Geez, if only the EPA hadn't been instituted by *gasp* Richard Nixon... we could have completely unbreathable air by now. We'd have polluted the air, land and sea with so much lead that every animal on earth would have turned completely, madly savage by now.
I suppose the few left with enough mental capacity to change the air filters on the Koch brother's mansion might be offered some compensation for the lung cancer all of us would be afflicted with by now. Oh, no, wait a minute, that's too "liberal".
Seafood? What's that? Some useless life forms that died off long ago when the ocean's no longer support life.
And only those with the loudest whips and strong chains can fend of the huddled masses wondering what the fuck went wrong.

I can't even fathom the extent of fallacy the RW'ers have supported under the guise of "make america great again".
That's a good stooge, eat some more of these paint chips.


BlancheSplanchnik

(20,219 posts)
26. That's a perfect essay. I'd love to put it on my FB page.
Mon Apr 10, 2017, 02:34 PM
Apr 2017

Would you mind if I do? I'm happy to credit you, or keep your name off.

zentrum

(9,865 posts)
29. It's the Mercers and Bannon.
Mon Apr 10, 2017, 03:44 PM
Apr 2017

The Mercers have a quack scientist and they believe Climate Change science is Chinese fake news.

This billionaire family is the main funder for the coup of our government now underway.

Please check out Jane Meyer's Dark Money article in the New Yorker.

GetRidOfThem

(869 posts)
30. My wife is at the EPA here in D.C.
Mon Apr 10, 2017, 07:42 PM
Apr 2017

Believe it or not, the whole story is different (and worse) than you think.

She is in a very high level position. Pruitt reached out to her. It was a positive encounter, even though they were from totally different political spectrums. She was surprised. Then Agent Orange came up with his budget, which completely contradicted what the administrator said. I.e. they are all puppets. Agent Orange rules. And they (his cabinet) must all fear him.

So must we...

Amaryllis

(9,525 posts)
31. And who is ruling Agent Orange RE the EPA budget? Bannon? Putin? Corporations? Mercers?
Mon Apr 10, 2017, 08:46 PM
Apr 2017

I know Bannon said cabinet heads were chosen to dismantle the agencies they oversee. I don't get why. Unless he's in the "Bring on the Rapture by creating Armageddon" crowd.

This is the most vile hive of scum and villainy...

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