Following through on his confirmation-hearing pledge, EPA head Scott Pruitt has recused himself from several cases against the agency that he pursued while Oklahoma attorney general.
“Pruitt said he would not participate for one year after his Senate confirmation in matters involving four parties. They include Oklahoma and the Rule of Law Defense Fund, a public policy group involving Republican attorneys general that targeted environmental rules,” says Reuters. “Pruitt also recused himself from a dozen pending cases involving the EPA. They include lawsuits over the Clean Power Plan and cases in both federal appeals and district courts over the Clean Water Act, which expanded the number of federally protected waterways.”
Before taking over at the agency, Pruitt sued the EPA more than a dozen times, including over the Clean Power Plan — Obama’s strategy for lowering carbon emissions in the U.S., which President Trump canceled during his first 100 days.