In recent interviews, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt made two false claims about his agency’s record on removing toxic sites from the Superfund National Priorities List.
Pruitt’s Tall Tale on Toxic Cleanups
Obama’s Record on Toxic Cleanups
Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt criticized former President Barack Obama for leaving “us with more Superfund sites than when he came in.” This is misleading for multiple reasons.
Did Air Quality Improve Under Obama?
EPA head Scott Pruitt criticized former President Barack Obama for leaving 40 percent of Americans with air quality that doesn’t meet EPA standards. But a report Pruitt’s office cited as evidence said there had been a “major improvement” in air quality under Obama.
The Facts on Chlorpyrifos
Both the EPA and its critics say science is on their side in the debate over whether the agricultural insecticide should be banned.
The Facts on Fracking Chemical Disclosure
Q: Are the chemicals in fracking solution protected from being made public by a law passed while Dick Cheney was vice president?
A: Yes. A 2005 law bans the federal government from requiring companies to disclose fracking chemicals. But 28 states do require disclosure of some fracking fluids.
Distorting the Asthma-Ozone Link
A Republican congressman falsely claimed there are “thousands of studies” that refute the Environmental Protection Agency’s conclusion that ground-level ozone, a component of smog, exacerbates asthma attacks.
The EPA Will Not Regulate Your Barbecue
A Republican congressman says the Environmental Protection Agency wants “to stop you and I from grilling,” and he has proposed legislation that would prohibit federal regulation of backyard barbecues.
The Santorum File (Take Two)
Rick Santorum, the second-place finisher in the 2012 Republican presidential primary, is making it official that he will run again for the presidency.