u.s. environmental protection agency administrator scott pruitt give reuters wide-ranging interview monday office washington discuss issue climate science automobile emissions follow full transcript interview reuters say epa focus back basics approach leadership mean epa enforce polluters critical idea regulation enforcement pruitt think speak consent decree approach enforcement use judicial proceed actually engage regulation enforcement exist regulations actually enforce someone may violate much prosecutorial manner attorney general oklahoma live grand jury lead prosecutor understand much importance prioritization enforce rule law address bad actors something go meaningful way across broad spectrum case whether office air superfund area otherwise reuters want see state play big role enforce polluters even though less capacity financially personnel wise pruitt think state role really look office work state assist engage compliance assistance state office epa deal enforcement call oeca office enforcement compliance assistance tool tool box achieve good outcomes ought work proactively state deqs departments environmental quality get state implementation plan federal regulations timely submit provide assistance technical support drive draft state implementation plan actually work achieve plan good outcomes air water quality far enforcement concern actually work state actually recently colorado oil gas company emit 3,000 tons quite bite of… ozone case event join colorado prosecution sometimes state sometimes join importance view respect achieve good environmental outcomes need use tool toolbox achieve compliance assistance enforcement use enforcement meaningful impactful way ensure action address timely way reuters pending settlements harley-davidson example stand would look previous settlements reach last days obama administration revisit pruitt well familiar with… know late harley davidson case… review predominantly respect consent decree use engage regulation distinction want make sure say clearly one instance respect enforcement regulation already adopt standard meet company meet standard set regulation enforcement oeca work state address part handle well past several years part epa sue third party enforcement mechanism sue ngo ngo ask court compel agency take certain step either change statute time line set statute agency acquiesce consent decree change statutory framework regulation litigation inconsistent authority view agency nothing enforcement reuters examples egregious pruitt host consent decree inherit evaluate case case basis see authority address enforcement completely banner regulation litigation let say important congress say engage rulemaking follow administrative procedures act propose rule take comment respond comment record make inform decision finalize rule reason important build consensus hear people state level hear state hear industry various voice hear process make robust inform decision merit rule think receive good way one case litigation pass rest country voice subvert process good decision-making reuters cheat devise use automakers skirt epa vehicle emission standards think penalties harsh pruitt look vw fiat… get fiat case horizon well email communications aware strategic intentional deal aggressively know well call do light fact would tell look forward… vw troublesome need make sure happen reuters model epa enforcement oklahoma attorney general pruitt completely different role attorney general fact say confirmation process ag enforcement arm state level respect permit deq environmental unit set previous administration set address enforcement actually set address nuisance claim file company poultry waste deal ways state arkansas long short role different role turn front-line enforcer deq state regulatory body provide assistance general counsel provide support input far standalone enforcement arm handle individual agencies state oklahoma different epa robust important role enforcement coordinate regions make sure consistency across regions…i try explain confirmation hear look superfund people usually equate enforcement cercla statute comprehensive environmental response compensation liability act 1980 joint several liability respect potential responsible party large percentage portfolio superfund responsible party private fund think agency do best job historically hold private party accountable amount waste remediation need take place tremendous authority go thoughtful meaningful enforcement response superfund make sure achieve good outcomes citizens across country respect entire portfolio 1,336 sit often think term enforcement think air think permit often think remediation cercla think get lot room improvement opportunity get accountability area get report desk spend thirty days task force recommendations right good achieve accountability enforcement across board reuters administration propose budget fy2018 propose severe budget cut across board include superfund pruitt budget cut across board continue resolution end april fund us around billion congress go process respect fund level go superfund fact propose budget… congress discussion budget cut take place point work congress make sure adequate fund address enforcement side superfund side reuters saw president budget proposal call 31 percent cut epa budget worry pruitt think certain part agency room true legitimate cut part agency case every department take something like superfund say whatever propose budget mean need far reform accountability simply accurate challenge see superfund program relate attitude management leadership less money tell congress budget nomination process determine need moneys ask congress priority enforcement superfund include category fund inaudible million dollars get room cut tell core mission agency improve air water quality address remediation far superfund sit type priorities reuters report epa launch call red team-blue team review climate change science tell us lead re-evaluation 2009 endangerment find carbon dioxide endanger human health pruitt think steve koonin professor nyu excite piece wall street journal call red team blue team schedule time steve office week article come know come out… steve meet things really focus take opportunity talk consider think american people deserve honest open transparent discussion know know pose existential threat do etc… lot question ask answer good group scientists red team scientists blue team scientists get together robust discussion world see scientist attorney beg question follow-up question do climate change statutory legal share senators confirmation process congress never respond issue ask people amend clean air act 1990 include former michigan democratic congressman dingle endlessly quote say try regulate greenhouse gas clean air act 1990 would create glorious mess clean air act truly set address local regional air pollutants hear often regulation ghg co2 determination do tool toolbox tool toolbox address issue agency simply make re-imagine authority past administration try clean power plan extraordinary supreme court 2014 rule utility air regulatory group v. epa case court back epa ability regulate greenhouse gas mobile stationary source throw tailor rule revise statutory thresholds require federal air permit greenhouse gas say lot say authority previous administration try say regulate carbon dioxide two part question know/what know two response…the statutory response red team blue team intend response provide answer american people… american people deserve view open transparent honest discussion issue… contemplate part process reuters consensus overwhelm climate change cause human beings… pruitt question question whether climate warm question whether human activity contribute question much contribute measure precision way unsustainable path harm ... cause existential threat another great piece new york time brett stephens think talk climate complete certainty whole premise basis consensus know politicians do create elasticity approach stretch far reach point credibility strain article along red-team blue-team think book-end approach discussion blue team scientists say oh go participate want participate like new york yankees accord like new york yankees play little league team go win certain come deal scar debate discussion science scientific debate let get red team scientists let get blue team scientists let let question one another would excite see reuters would look like pruitt formative stag idea good idea idea advance science advance discussion advance transparency advance american people consume participate debate consensus issue know policy response see congress act question question whether warm happen whether contribute debate much degree precision measurement pose meaningful threat unsustainable host question ask answer process excite reuters would bring public would put television pruitt think think mean know yet want open world want full display think american people would interest consume think deserve it reuters guarantee objectivity scientists make sure conflict interest pruitt red team blue team matter steve model national security defense exercise kind check one another consumption evaluation interpretation check one another reuters congress legislate endangerment find scientific review lead review endangerment find pruitt 2007 massachusetts vs. epa rule people misinterpret mass vs. epa say epa must regulate co2 mass vs. epa say must make decision whether regulate simply make decision whole thing mass vs. epa happen post script happen post script 2009 endangerment find mobile source another thing important endangerment fund focus mobile source –cars section 111 clean air act obama administration clean power plan deal stationary source separate requirements section 111 clean air act lot process/ legal-related issue previous administration comply endangerment find mobile side say congress respond court case endangerment find agency engage regulatory response way use tool currently clean air act fail twice try respond endangerment find regulate section 111 fail fail uarg decision tailor rule question beg tool toolbox talk confirmation hear talk individual senators something congress ask answer authority except congress give us simply make previous administration make wotus water unite state act re-imagined authority define water unite state include things include dry creek bed puddle go far sixth circuit strike put stay place co2 supreme court clear agency like agency federal government simply re-imagine authority large authority beyond statutory text scientific review red team blue team discussion intend open transparent debate something policy issue extremely important country take place endangerment find 2009 base ipcc unite nations intergovernmental panel climate change information science agency red team blue team intend provide type vehicle mechanism open debate discussion reuters might take look endangerment find pruitt exactly describe reuters let move california waiver allow california set stringent emissions standards vehicles something epa review change pruitt review right reuters review future pruitt governor california trade correspondence respect california role important congress recognize regulate air quality clean air act adopt 1972 california waiver exist reach california governor part cafe midterm review 2018 hopeful state california governor respond reciprocity work process reuters meet take place automakers pruitt know conversations take place automakers california president detroit announce midterm review go take place take place april 2018 16 months early occur january year restore process order go process reach california believe important holistic discussion california optimistic respond reciprocity reuters renewable fuel standard- seriously epa take proposal trump advisor billionaire investor carl icahn move point obligation pruitt know 18,000 comment submit actually process begin late last administration still review comment rfs something look statute congress pass congress take seriously importance enforce statute congress pass challenge statute know target put prescriptively statute billions gallons cellulosic blend fuel supply think last number far produce number around 190 million actually production problem make tough administer statute think whatever waiver authority use use judiciously tie production actual market demand job fulfill objectives best possible statute go rvos renewable volume obligations suppose publish every year november past administration timely go november path good people across country know expect go do timely release propose volume number preamble language rvos talk production demand market realities respect advance fuel seek job meaningful way lot discussion capitol hill statute perhaps bipartisan approach update statute actually expire 2022 lot discussion try update statute well receive encourage congress continue reuters strategy legal defense move undo obama era rule d.c. circuit court appeal last week deny bid delay obama administration regulations methane pruitt various authorities methane case case authority stay certain rule distinct withdraw rule wotus water unite state rule actually propose withdrawal sign june 27 energy dominance week think section 307 stay use compliance time try use authority think well establish go respond accordingly go forward… think case focus facts particular case think say anything us respect authority stay section 705 administrative procedures act section 307 clean air act well establish procedures use accordingly necessary clean power plan propose rule withdraw cpp come next yet determine know regard particular rule scotus issue stay mean likelihood success merit far inconsistent statutory authority wise agency use resources advance defense rule maybe deficient go withdraw see authority is- tool toolbox particular issue reuters paris climate change poll show young people supportive u.s leadership climate change explain decision young generation pruitt paris get say deal though whether u.s. go continue lead reduce co2 footprint paris actually paris bumper sticker go back read article criticism levy environmental leave critical dismissive paris agreement know china anything 2030 india condition obligations upon receive two half trillion dollars aid russia india china contribute dollars green climate fund people short memories already pre 94 level exit kyoto 2001 2000 2014 reduce co2 foot print 18 plus percent good others across globe people really want action meaningful outcomes regard pre-1994 level paris view symbolic optical respect whether progress progress make co2 reduction reuters think argument major fossil fuel company like exxon cloud peak energy coal company make good us remain paris agreement give competitive advantage understand argument simply understand argument say technology develop domestically go able export countries interest evidence china still build coal facilities tune almost one day 800 plan scale back india go continue burn coal ought export technology innovation help clean job agency job regulatory body force pick winners losers energy mix need fuel diversity far generation electricity get much natural gas pipelines attack infrastructure regard pip natural gas deliver generate electricity solid amount hydrocarbons coal store site allow address peak demand gdp growth go continue percent get fuel diversity- energy security across board unwise business one client two clients unwise electricity one source two source oklahoma 18 percent electricity wind generate approach epa get business foist upon market decisions say burn fossil fuel past administration unapologetic regulation paris paris bad business deal country end day put us economic disadvantage us never agree target case 26 28 percent u.s. pledge emissions reductions paris agreement instance every rule previous administration adopted…their entire climate action plan fell 40 percent short fail begin go paris agree 26-28 percent target provide exposure domestically third party group ngos could sue agency say need section 115 clean air act section caa enable unite state work cooperatively nations address trans-boundary air pollution legal exposure already lead world respect co2 reduction interpret president say way engagement renegotiate another agreement paris agreement bad country achieve good environmental outcomes nothing apologetic regard already go absolutely decision courage fortitude truly represent america first strategy respect lead issue germany burn coal reuters us position paris isolate unite state g20 pruitt past administration word administration action look action country take reduce greenhouse gas level pre 1994 level primarily technology innovation government mandate nothing apologetic rest world really want something reduce co2 footprint hydraulic fracture horizontal drill need export china india europe create great reduction co2 nuclear germany go away nuclear abolish nuclear portfolio increase co2 emissions anyone talk chancellor merkel reuters ever talk kid climate change agree pruitt kid wonderfully talented individuals world view wonderful look issue smart way think would probably echo things share transcript reuters interview epa administrator scott pruitt