Scott Pruitt promised U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner he would visit Colorado if he were confirmed to head the EPA and we plan on holding him to that promise.
“He assured me that he is going to make it right and that he is going to work with the people that EPA injured, and those who experienced economic losses, and make sure that they are fully compensated,” Gardner testified, standing before a photograph of the impact of the EPA-caused spill. “He agreed to come to Colorado shortly after his confirmation to make sure that the people of Colorado know that he will fulfill the promises that were failed under the Obama Administration.”
The Senate voted to confirm him Friday, so we’ve taken the liberty of checking plane reservations on behalf of the new administrator. We are happy to report there’s plenty of opportunities for him to board a plane for DIA, like, now.
We’re lobbying for Colorado to be his first stop so the new boss can see firsthand how reckless the agency he is dedicated to reforming has become.
And it’s not just the Animas River spill Coloradans are upset over, Colorado Springs has their own beef with the agency.
A year after Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers committed hundreds of millions for environmentally sound stormwater assets, the EPA filed a vindictive lawsuit designed to punish the city for potential harms of a poorly maintained drainage system. Costs of the suit will only slow the city’s ability to improve prospects for the environment and communities downstream from the Springs.
We will be holding Pruitt to his pledge to visit and address the mine spill, but we’re asking that he also make a stop in Colorado Springs to announce the agency has withdrawn the lawsuit so the problems can actually get fixed.