Why am I not surprised?
Murray Energy CEO Bob Murray has bragged that EPA chief Scott Pruitt is working off his polluter protection playbook—a three-page memo from the coal company that outlines what the fossil fuel industry wants Pruitt to accomplish. According to Murray Energy, Pruitt’s already knocked off the first page of asks: roll back smog protections, car standards, truck standards, and mercury protections, and kill America’s Clean Power Plan.
Yes. The person who is supposed to protect our health is actually protecting polluter profits. He’s creating his own special swamp at EPA.
And then we have Michael Dourson, nominated to implement and enforce the law that is meant to protect us from toxic chemicals in our stuff.
This is the law that all of you, members of Moms Clean Air Force, worked so hard to get passed last year. A law that had strong bipartisan support, including sponsorship by Senators James Inhofe and Tom Udall. This law would take us a long way towards eliminating toxic chemicals that are now in the marketplace, being used in stuff we bring home every single day, from our dry cleaning to home improvement and cleaning products… you name it. Toxics that cause cancer and neurological damage. Seriously bad stuff.
Who would want to protect toxins? Pruitt. And so, funnily enough, does the man he wants working at EPA on toxics, Dourson, who built an entire career protecting toxic chemicals.
For decades, he was the chemical industry’s go-to man for churning out reports that downplayed the risks of exposures to the most concerning chemicals in commerce.
Your senator must hear from you. Dourson is already at EPA, even unconfirmed, working as a “special advisor” and undermining the law we worked so hard to pass. His nomination must not go forward.
Dangerous Dourson and Polluting Pruitt are an unholy alliance. They claim to love children—and I’m sure they love their own. But what about all our children? Pruitt and Dourson aren’t operating with love. They are working hard to make it easier for all of our children to get sicker.
Impressively, North Carolina’s senators have stepped up to make the morally good choice. Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis issued statements saying they will not support Dourson’s nomination, because of drinking water contamination under Dourson’s watch—and his refusal to fix the problems. Moms send these senators an enormous thank you.
TELL YOUR SENATOR: REJECT MICHAEL DOURSON