Environment Virginia voices disappointment in Senator Warner’s support of Rex Tillerson, urges Senators to oppose Scott Pruitt to head EPA

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Sarah Bucci

Environment Virginia

Richmond, VA —Today, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary of state in a 56-43 vote. Environment Virginia State Director Sarah Bucci issued the following statement in response:

“While Virginia’s coast continues to face the threat of rising seas, what we need is a secretary of state, and an administration, who will keep America’s promise to slow global climate change and secure a better future for generations to come. We are deeply disappointed that Senator Mark Warner sided with Big Oil interests over the health of Virginians and the planet and voted to confirm Rex Tillerson as secretary of state.

“Rex Tillerson has spent his entire career putting the profits and power of Exxon Mobil first, over our health, our environment and the future that Virginia and America’s children will inherit. His company is one of the nation’s worst air and water polluters. It is one of the world’s leading contributors to global warming. It has a history of funding propaganda designed to mislead Americans about the science of climate change.

“We applaud Senator Tim Kaine for standing against climate change denial and voting against Rex Tillerson’s nomination.

“Now, we look to Senators Warner and Kaine to stand up for Virginia’s air and water by opposing Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Virginians and all Americans deserve an EPA administrator who will fight to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the planet we love. Scott Pruitt fails on all these accounts. The Senate must stand with science. The Senate must stand up for our families’ health, clean water and clean air. We urge Senators Kaine and Warner to reject President Trump’s nomination of Scott Pruitt to head the EPA.”

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Environment Virginia is a state-wide, citizen-funded environmental advocacy organization working for clean air, clean water and open space. For more information visit www.environmentvirginia.org