Senate chairman meets Trump’s EPA nominee

The new chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee met Tuesday with President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“We had a good conversation focused on policy and reforms that are necessary at the agency,” Barrasso said in the statement. “He has excellent insights on how to help the EPA better meet its mission of protecting the environment while growing the American economy.”

{mosads}The environment panel is planning to hold a hearing on Pruitt before likely sending his nomination to the full Senate for a vote.

Tuesday’s meeting is a standard step in the confirmation process; Pruitt may meet with other senators, including Democrats on the committee.

Pruitt and Barrasso have generally agreed on the major pieces of Trump’s agenda for the EPA. Both want to repeal the Clean Power Plan, the Waters of the United States rule, the most recent ground-level ozone rule and the methane rules for oil and gas drilling, and both generally want states have more power to regulate on environmental matters.

Barrasso, Pruitt and Pruitt’s home-state Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) posed together for photos in the Senate Tuesday, but did not take questions from reporters.

Inhofe, who chaired the Environment Committee until Tuesday’s handoff, called Pruitt the “ideal candidate” to lead the EPA.

“Pruitt has seen first-hand the abuses of power at the hands of this agency and has fought back to ensure environmental quality without sacrificing jobs.

“Scott is an expert in constitutional law, and understands the fundamental element of balance necessary between the states and the federal government,” Inhofe said, promising to move Pruitt’s nomination “swiftly and fairly” through the Senate with Barrasso.

Democrats and environmentalists have objected strongly to Trump’s choice of Pruitt.

They say he does not endorse the role of the EPA as a national environmental regulator, and warn his plans to roll back major Obama rules would be dangerous to the environment and the climate.