The new probe comes as EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt faces a litany of questions surrounding his spending and ethical woes. | Saul Loeb/Getty Images EPA watchdog launches new probe into Pruitt's email habits

EPA's inspector general said Tuesday it would look into Scott Pruitt's use of nonpublic email accounts, bringing the number of federal probes into the EPA administrator's behavior to an even dozen.

Specifically, the inspector general said it would look into whether Pruitt is properly preserving email records as required under federal law and whether the agency is properly searching all of his accounts in response to public records requests.


Two senior Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Democrats — ranking member Tom Carper of Delaware and Jeff Merkley of Oregon — released the letter, dated May 2, confirming the probe.

EPW Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) has previously raised concerns about Pruitt's use of nonpublic email accounts. In response, the agency said it searches all of his accounts when responding to public records requests. Previous EPA administrators also routinely used nonpublic accounts for day-to-day email communications.

The new probe comes as Pruitt faces a litany of questions surrounding his spending and ethical woes. EPA's inspector general, the Government Accountability Office and the House Oversight Committee are all looking into aspects of his conduct.

Those probes involve Pruitt's first-class travel, use of security on personal trips, pay for top political aides and a sweetheart condo deal with an energy lobbyist who later met with him, among others.

In the letter, EPA Inspector General Arthur Elkins warned that a stretched budget and staff meant he could not say when the probe would begin.

"The fact is that the OIG has been funded at less than the levels we deem adequate to do all of the work that should be done, and we therefore have to make difficult decisions about whether to accept any given potential undertaking," he said. "However, despite these constraints, we have determined that the issues raised in your letter are within the authority of the OIG to review, and we will do so."

Pruitt is set to appear before a Senate Appropriations subpanel Wednesday.