I am in some disbelief about what is going on at EPA, so fast and furious yesterday — just like the Trump tweets.   First, there was the report of the resignation of Mustafa Ali, who had been the senior advisor on environmental justice at EPA.  Really too bad to lose such an important advocate for these issues at the Agency.

And then there is what Pruitt said about climate change – that he does “not agree that it’s [human activity] a primary contributor to the global warming that we see.”  I just wish he would stop talking.  He also said, “We need to continue the debate” about whether human activity causes climate change.  As if “debate” can answer the ultimate scientific question of climate change.  The overwhelming consensus of scientists disagrees with him, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.  Debate may be a standard tool of persuasion, especially for lawyers (and Pruitt seems to be good lawyer), but it is not a scientific methodology.  Science is about empirical evidence, not opinion, with no room for “alternative facts.” Ultimately, there are only facts.

Phew, bracing for more to come. . .

Updated 3/13 – The American Meteorology Society responded to Pruitt’s statement.  Yay.