Pruitt
The National Cotton Council is pleased that the Senate confirmed the nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as the new EPA Administrator.
Pruitt was sworn in soon after that 52 to 46 confirmation vote. While he lost one Republican vote, Democratic Sens. Heitkamp (ND) and Manchin (WV) supported his confirmation.
NCC Chairman Ronnie Lee, a Bronwood, Ga., cotton producer said, “I look forward to the day very soon that farmers can spend more time producing crops and less time worrying about how to comply with onerous, overly burdensome regulations and doing paperwork. The cotton industry looks forward to working with Administrator Pruitt as he leads EPA in a way to help ensure a safe and healthy environment alongside a strong and viable agricultural sector.”
Lee noted that Pruitt has been a tireless critic of some of EPA’s regulations and has promised to revamp the agency.
“We hope that President Trump and Administrator Pruitt act on the President’s campaign promises regarding certain regulations, and ensure the agency is making decisions based on sound, peer- reviewed science rather than based on public opinions,” Lee said.
Zippy Duvall, president, American Farm Bureau Federation:
“Scott Pruitt’s confirmation to lead the Environmental Protection Agency will bring a breath of fresh air to the post. America’s farmers and ranchers look forward to working with Administrator Pruitt as he leads the EPA with a welcome level of common sense in the important job of protecting the environment.
“For too long, farmers and ranchers have been victims of EPA’s harsh regulatory overreach. Farmers are conservationists to the core and we want to play a positive, cooperative role in protecting the environment we rely on to produce food for this nation.
“In his position as attorney general in Oklahoma, Pruitt stood up for common-sense, effective regulation that protects the environment and the rights of the regulated community. We’re optimistic that he will retain those same values as administrator and we look forward to working with him. But what we truly look forward to is working with someone at EPA who understands how farmers and ranchers care for our nation’s natural resources each and every day.”
Craig Uden, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says “For far too long, the EPA has been a runaway bureaucracy largely out of touch with how its policies directly affect folks like cattle ranchers, who use – and responsibly care for – the environment while providing the safest and most abundant food supply in the world.”
He goes on to say “Scott Pruitt will restore some common sense to environmental policy and we look forward to working with him on restoring regulatory sanity to Washington, such as by killing the onerous ‘waters of the United States’ rule.”
National Sorghum Producers is excited to work with Scott Pruitt who was confirmed today as the new administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency.
“National Sorghum Producers congratulates Scott Pruitt on his new position with the EPA,” said Tim Lust, National Sorghum Producers CEO. “We look forward to working with Pruitt on current and future regulations that affect sorghum farmers and our industry nationwide.”
Pruitt has been the Attorney General of Oklahoma since November 2010. As administrator for the EPA, Pruitt will oversee all environmental regulations and programs that protect the environment and human health. NSP will work closely with Pruitt and the EPA on regulations such as fuel pathways, pesticide regulations and registrations, and the Waters of the U.S. rule.
“NPPC congratulates Scott Pruitt on his confirmation as EPA administrator. He’s a champion for American agriculture who relies on science and supports the rule of law in advancing common sense regulations that will protect our environment without overburdening farmers.
“As Oklahoma attorney general, he struck a balance between protecting the environment and protecting the livelihoods of farmers and business owners. Everyone, particularly farmers, wants to have clean air and water and to preserve and protect our natural resources. But you don’t achieve those goals by piling regulations on the very people who are the stewards of the land, air and water. Scott Pruitt understands that, and that will serve him well as EPA administrator.”
“The Renewable Fuels Association congratulates Scott Pruitt on Senate confirmation to become the next EPA administrator. As Mr. Pruitt said during his confirmation hearing last month, ‘To honor the intent and the expression of the Renewable Fuel Standard statute is very, very important.’ We could not agree more. We look forward to working with Mr. Pruitt to ensure the RFS remains on track with strong, annual obligations that follow congressional intent. While the RFS remains our priority, we will also continue advocating for the removal of unnecessary volatility restrictions that have discouraged market acceptance of higher level ethanol blends like E15. Ethanol is the lowest cost, cleanest and highest octane source in the world. We encourage Mr. Pruitt to work with us to ensure consumers have more choices at the pump.”