NEW ENERGY

Trump’s EPA Chief Nominee Scott Pruitt Confirmed

Two Democrats flipped to vote yes.

The U.S. Senate on Friday voted to confirm Scott Pruitt, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. The confirmation vote came amid a last-ditch attempt by Democrats to delay the vote as a judge ruled that the former Oklahoma attorney general must release the 3,000 emails from his communication with oil, gas, and coal companies. Only one Republican—Sen. Susan Collins of Maine—voted against Pruitt, while two Democrats—Sens. Joe Manchin and Heidi Heitkamp, both from energy-producing states—flipped to vote in the affirmative. The final tally was 52-46. Pruitt was widely viewed as an anti-EPA pick, as he has led lawsuits against the agency; has claimed the climate-change debate is “far from settled”; and has said that the department’s environmental regulations drain the economy.