Colorado’s Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner on Friday used the saga to drum up support in the Senate for Scott Pruitt, President Trump’s now-approved pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Gardner said that Pruitt has promised to address in the , and “fulfill the promises that were broken under the Obama Administration.”
“He assured me that he is going to make it right and that he is going to work with the people that EPA injured, and those who experienced economic losses, and make sure that they are fully compensated,” Gardner testified, standing before a photograph of the impact of the . “He agreed to come to Colorado shortly after his confirmation to make sure that the people of Colorado know that he will fulfill the promises that were failed under the Obama Administration.”
Gardner went on to say that the EPA under Obama and then- “walked away from the people of Colorado and the promises made.”
ʰܾٳ, which as Oklahoma attorney general, he repeatedly sued to rein in its reach during the Obama administration. Republican leaders used their party’s narrow Senate majority to push Pruittap confirmation despite calls from Democrats to delay the vote until Pruitt releases e-mail communication with the oil, gas and coal industry next week, as ordered by an Oklahoma judge.
Voted no on Scott Pruitt's nomination for because we can't afford to ignore the science on climate change.
— Michael Bennet (@SenatorBennet)
The vote was 52-46. Gardner voted for Pruitt. Colorado’s Democrat Sen. Michael Bennet voted against.
Pruitt “demonstrated that he understands the importance of protecting the environment while also standing up to overbearing federal regulations, including the Waters of the United States rule,” Gardner said during the confirmation hearing.
“Additionally, I was pleased that he committed to review EPA’s decision to not process the personal injury and economic loss claims related to the Gold King Mine spill,” he said.
Gold King have been a point of contention for local governments impacted by the disaster, particularly the Navajo Nation.
In December, the EPA announced it would pay $4.5 million to state, local and tribal governments for their emergency response to a mine spill that the EPA triggered, but it for past and future expenses.
The EPA triggered the spill on Aug. 5, 2015, into Cement Creek, which flowed into the Animas River and through three states and .
The disaster, which , prompted concern and anger downstream, particularly in the Navajo Nation and New Mexico, where officials have been continually complaining about the spill’s water-quality impacts and have against the EPA
The concentrations of some metals in the Gold King wastewater plume were higher than historical mine drainage, the EPA has said, but the agency says impacts on water quality were not as long lasting as some had feared.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
