Pruitt confirmed to lead EPA

WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 -- U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt addressed members on Tuesday for his first time as head of the agency.

“You don’t know me very well. In fact, you don’t know me hardly at all other than what you’ve read in the newspaper and seen on the news," Pruitt said as he addressed the crowd. "I look forward to sharing the rest of the story with you as we spend time together. This is a beginning. It’s a beginning for us to spend time and discuss certain principles by which I think this agency should conduct itself.” Reflecting on the time he spent earlier in the day greeting EPA career staff in his office, Administrator Pruitt said, “It was an honor and a joy to meet and spend time with the career people at EPA who are clearly very dedicated to their work.”

Pruitt was confirmed by a senate vote of 52-46 last week.

According to a news release published by the EPA, Pruitt said he hopes to "listen, learn, and lead …to address the issues we face as a nation."