WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, of Oklahoma, has been a supporter of Scott Pruitt as head of the EPA.
President Donald Trump accepted Pruitt’s resignation Thursday.
Pruitt faced several ethical questions concerning travel spending, security costs, dealings with industry lobbyists and misuse of government resources.
Sen. Inhofe sent the following statement to KRMG:
“Scott Pruitt did great work to reduce the nations regulatory burdens facing our nation while leading the Environmental Protection Agency. He was single minded at restoring the EPA to its proper statutory authority and ending the burdensome regulations that have stifled economic growth across the country. I was pleased to work with him on critical issues, like pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement and prioritizing the cleanup of Superfund sites.
Andrew Wheeler, deputy administrator of the EPA, will serve as acting administrator of the agency.
Sen. Inhofe says, “Andrew worked for me for 14 years, has an impeccable reputation and has the experience to be a strong leader at the EPA.”
Before heading the EPA, Pruitt was the attorney general for Oklahoma.