This Handshake Is Going to Rattle a Lot of Liberal Environmentalists
Thursday, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), an outspoken critic of the Obama Administration’s environmental policies, met with EPA Administrator-designate Scott Pruitt to discuss the incoming Trump Administration’s plans for the agency.
Apparently, that meeting went very well.
“Attorney General Pruitt and I had a very productive conversation today about his plans for the Environmental Protection Agency and ways we can work together,” Manchin said. “We both come from energy-producing states and have a great deal in common.
“He committed to visiting West Virginia and working with me on some of the clean water challenges that we have experienced in recent years in cities like Vienna, Parkersburg and Charleston. I believe the attorney general has the right experience for the position and look forward to his confirmation process.”
Pruitt is currently Oklahoma attorney general, pending confirmation of his appointment by the U.S. Senate. He also commented on his meeting with Manchin, who was for a time considered the front-runner for a Cabinet position in the Trump Administration.
“Senator Joe Manchin and I had a very good and productive meeting today,” he said. “Senator Manchin has long been a leader in advancing a balanced energy policy that both protects the environment and enables economic growth.
“We discussed the many ways the EPA can help the people and protect the natural environment of West Virginia and our nation. If confirmed by the Senate, I look forward to working with Senator Manchin and his colleague Senator Capito as we find the right balance that works best for the people and the environment of their very special state.” {eoa}
