More than 7,500 pages of emails between Devon Energy and Scott Pruitt have been released to the public the Center for Media and Democracy by way of an open records request. One of the emails from a lobbyist at Devon Energy contained a draft letter objecting to the newly proposed federal regulations on fracking. Only two months later, Pruitt sent an almost identical letter to Sally Jewell, former Interior Secretary. Pruitt, former attorney general of Oklahoma, has recently been confirmed as the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Big Oil influence
For many years, Pruitt has been active against the policymaking of the EPA. He has even taken them to court in the past. Just how much influence Big Oil companies have over Pruitt has recently been brought to light with the release of over 7,500 pages of emails between Devon Energy and the Oklahoma attorney general's office under Pruitt. The relationship between the two dates back to at least October of 2011. At that time, Pruitt signed a letter that had been drafted by Devon Energy and sent it to the EPA. This kind of exchange occurred many times over the years. Oddly, Pruitt never seemed to mention the increase in Oklahoma earthquakes, which scientists link to fracking. Pruitt is also backed by several climate change denying organizations and the Koch brothers, two of the world's leading fossil fuel moguls.
The People's Climate March
Scientists and conservationists have organized a worldwide protest on April 29 called The People's Climate March. The goal is to bring conservation, environmental policy, and climate change to the frontline of politics. This move to protest comes after many attacks against environmental agencies by newly elected President Trump.
In his first two weeks as acting president, he stopped all government grants and funding going to the EPA. Trump also issued an executive order gagging the National Parks Service and the EPA from social media. Replacing the head of the Environmental Protection with someone like Scott Pruitt, with connections in big oil, was the final step to make way for future radical changes to environmental policymaking. As of now, the Endangered Species Act is coming under fire from Republicans in the House and the Senate. It is likely that the protections provided under the Act will be weakened significantly.
