EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s decision to do away with the practice of “sue and settle” at the agency draws the support of Sen. Jim Inhofe.
“I am pleased with Administrator Pruitt’s memorandum today effectively ending the ‘sue and settle’ practice at the Environmental Protection Agency,” said the senator in a statement. “For the past eight years, the EPA has used consent agreements to circumvent Congress, the Administrative Procedures Act and states’ authority, enacting federal policy behind closed doors.”
A member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, the Republican Senator said ending what he called a “shameful practice” is a win for transparency and will continue the work of restoring the EPA to its proper Constitutional authority.
Sen. Inhofe pointed out that in 2011 the EPA used consent agreements stemming from court cases of which Oklahoma was not a party to and overruled the state’s regional haze plan.
“The EPA plan costs an estimated $282 million each year and will yield an imperceptible impact on regional haze,” added Inhofe. “Congress specifically gave states the authority to regulate regional haze under the Clean Air Act as it is a visibility issue and not health related.”