Scott Pruitt left us with the stink of corruption and a poisoned environment

To the Editor:
One swamp-monster just left Washington, D.C. After flying first class all over the world at our expense, spending thousands of dollars on a bullet-proof desk and sound-proof phone booth, taking staff on vacation on the pretext of official business, using staff (paid by us) to perform personal business like trying to get his wife a chicken franchise and obtaining a used mattress from a Trump hotel (?), giving huge raises to staff despite even Trump declining his request, Scott Pruitt left us not only with the stink of corruption, but with the very real polluted air and environment that will poison our lungs and endanger every living thing on the planet.
Pruitt carried out the Trump Administration's destruction of our environment by deregulation of all health and safety laws. We are the only country in the world to have left the Paris climate accord. One must wonder if these people, who have kids and grandkids, can be that ignorant of science, the environment, and health. I think of the brave Mom who confronted Pruitt recently at a restaurant, saying her child loves animals and to breathe clean air. Moments before he left office, Scott Pruitt as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency granted a loophole that will allow a major increase in the manufacturing of a diesel freight truck that produces as much as 55 times the air pollution as trucks that have modern emissions controls.
Pruitt was careful to hide his tracks. His official calendar was changed to hide certain meetings. According to the New York Times: “A retroactive deletion of meetings and attendees from a cabinet official’s public records could violate the Federal Records Act, which requires agencies to maintain and preserve public documents, as well as a law prohibiting intentional distortion of federal records.”
Scott Pruitt may be gone, but the E.P.A.’s new acting administrator, Andrew Wheeler, will continue to scale back rules on power plant emissions, vehicle standards, and water pollution. Our planet is at stake. Nothing is more important. I suggest every one of your readers appreciate the excellent air and water while we still have them here in Pike County. It is not going to last.
Debra Schneider
Milford