The Environmental Protection Agency may well be facing its greatest threat since its inception.

What’s going on?

Trump has essentially frozen the activities of the EPA, and has forbidden employees from commenting about EPA activities on social media and to the press.

Why is it important?

The EPA is an essential regulatory agency. Our land, air, and water are all vital, irreplaceable resources which ultimately belong to the public and need to be protected for present and future generations.

Meanwhile, Trump’s pick to head the EPA–Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt–is a known climate change denier (like Trump himself) and has butted heads with the EPA on numerous occasions. He has even presented the words of fossil fuel companies, virtually verbatim, as the official position of the State of Oklahoma:

> > In 2014, The New York Times reported that Mr. Pruitt’s staff took a letter written by lawyers for the Oklahoma-based oil and gas company Devon Energy opposing E.P.A. regulations, copied it almost word for word onto state government stationery, and sent it to the agency as the official position of the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office. > > > > “[Outstanding](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/us/politics/energy-firms-in-secretive-alliance-with-attorneys-general.html)!” wrote an executive for Devon, praising Mr. Pruitt’s advocacy on behalf of the company, according to The Times. > >

While the EPA will likely survive a hostile Trump administration, much damage can be done if Trump’s actions go unchallenged.

What can I do?

Speak up. Contact your Senators and implore them not to confirm Scott Pruitt. Phone calls are best.

Spread the word regarding Trump’s freeze of EPA activities. Be clear that the current nominee to head the agency actively despises its mission.

Also make clear that Trump’s gagging of the EPA represents a threat to public access to information about the activities of a vital agency.

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