Re: “EPA prevents 3 scientists from speaking at Rhode Island event” (Oct. 23):

I was saddened first, then angry, to read that Scott Pruitt had barred Environmental Protection Agency scientists from speaking at a conference on climate change where they were scheduled to present a 500-page report.

Scott Pruitt is disregarding scientific findings on many fronts. He is reversing safeguards put into place to protect Americans from dangerous chemicals in the workplace and the home. As EPA administrator, he has had climate change data removed from the agency’s website and is looking to loosen the limits on mercury, smog and carbon pollution. These protections had been estimated to prevent up to 15,000 untimely deaths a year. Increased pollution will end up causing many more health problems, especially to the most vulnerable, our children, and overburden an already taxed health care system.

There is ample evidence that Scott Pruitt is out to dismantle EPA protections of our air and water, all in the name of benefiting corporate polluters. He is advocating slashing the EPA’s budget and reversing what he has called “overreach” by EPA regulators while spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on 24-hour security, expensive flights and upgrades to his personal office. I do not see the mission of the EPA – protecting human health and the environment – being carried out by this administration.

Kim Arn

Otisfield

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