5 Industries That Made the Most of Pruitt While He Lasted

While environmentalists and pundits sounded alarms about the consequences of Pruitt's policies while at the EPA, some commentators have said the effect of his actions have been overstated.

Irfan's approach to the question of Pruitt's legacy in the federal government and for the planet earth is to consider the industries that most benefitted by his time in office.

But while making (or unmaking) environmental rules is a process that takes years, the industries that chafe most at EPA regulations — automakers, big farmers, coal barons, and chemical manufacturers among them — found plenty of opportunities to celebrate during Pruitt’s time in office. And these gains for industry come at the expense of the health of all of us, particularly the poor and minorities.

Irfan goes industry by industry, looking for Pruitt's fingerprints. Sections of the article examine gilder kit (new trucks built from salvaged engine parts) manufacturers, auto manufacturers, big agriculture, the chemicals industry, and fossil fuel companies. As a final note, Irfan warns that Pruitt's resignation is unlikely to slow the Trump Administration's environmental agenda.