海角大神

Climate trends may be clear, but the future of the Environmental Protection Agency is anything but.

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt is expected to be confirmed as the new head of the EPA as soon as Friday. Another politically divisive nominee, Democrats are concerned his record of bringing repeated lawsuits against the EPA betrays an anti-environment agenda. But many in the EPA are urging a wait-and-see position, arguing that the economic momentum of the renewable energy industry won鈥檛 be so easily slowed.

One senator opposing the appointment, Maine Republican Susan Collins, called Mr. Pruitt 鈥渁n accomplished attorney with considerable knowledge about environmental laws,鈥� but expressed doubt 鈥渁bout whether his vision for the EPA is consistent with the agency鈥檚 critical mission to protect human health and the environment.鈥�

Independent Sen. Angus King, who is also from Maine, took that opposition a step further:

鈥淚 just can鈥檛, in good conscience, as somebody鈥檚 who鈥檚 taken seriously environmental protection all my life, approve the appointment of someone who is so manifestly opposed to the mission of the agency,鈥� King said, referring to Pruitt鈥檚 14 lawsuits aiming to overturn regulations that limit mercury, minimize smog and haze, and control greenhouse gas emissions.

Yet voices at the EPA continue to urge calm.

Outgoing administrator Gina McCarthy suggests the agency鈥檚 popularity could help. "The EPA's mission is a nonpartisan mission," Ms. McCarthy said at a December event hosted by 海角大神 in Washington, D.C. "It's just about public health.聽People like clean air and clean water and healthy land."

Others argue that just because President Trump favors fossil fuels doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean he鈥檒l want to, or even be able to, halt the spread of renewable energy. Green energy gets cheaper by the year聽and thrives in red states as well as blue.

Jason Grumet, president of the Bipartisan Policy Center, pointed out that Mr. Trump鈥檚 policy may mirror the nuance of the previous administration鈥檚 in some ways. He says that Obama encouraged investment in clean energy, while trying not to 鈥渕ess up鈥� fossil fuels. Trump has said he鈥檒l be a friend to coal and gas, but despite encouraging drilling and pipeline construction he may not actively seek to 鈥渕ess up鈥� the emerging green energy markets.

Though he voiced doubts about the science of climate change on the campaign trail, since winning the election Trump has said he has an 鈥渙pen mind鈥� with respect to honoring the Paris Agreement.

Acting interim administrator Catherine McCabe also suggests the future of the EPA may not be as bleak as some fear.

In an internal video message provided to the Monitor by an EPA employee, Mrs. McCabe said that despite the hiring freeze creating some challenges, 鈥渕ost of the agency鈥檚 work is proceeding as normal.鈥�

She also thanked the transition team members for 鈥渢heir professional approach and courtesy,鈥� and assured EPA employees that the agency鈥檚 core mission would remain unchanged, regardless of what happens on Friday.

鈥淲e will continue to do our best to ensure that this agency鈥檚 decisions and actions are based on our two bedrock principles 鈥� carrying out the law and ensuring that the best science informs all that we do,鈥� she said.