US environment agency administrator Scott Pruitt spread “very troubling” and “inaccurate” information when criticising the Obama’s reform of emissions standards for cars, according to correspondence between senior EPA agency officials.

The officials state in a cache of emails released to Unearthed through a freedom of information request that Pruitt also cited an article that contained “many factual errors” when arguing that the tightening of standards would lead to job cuts in the US car industry.

The correspondence was released by the EPA a week after Pruitt announced he is going to revoke Obama’s introduction of new carbon limits on cars and SUVs, largely on the basis that they would be unfair to consumers and industry.

The EPA chief is currently at the centre of a media storm, as he faces accusations that he overspent and misused public security funds.

‘Very troubling’

Trump indicated a year ago that the new standards, due to come into force in 2022, would be reviewed following heavy lobbying from the car industry. The standards were part of Obama’s push before he left office to introduce legislation that would cut greenhouse gases and support low-carbon technologies, but the industry stated that they would cost $200bn.

The emails date back to the weeks surrounding this announcement in March 2017, a month after Pruitt took on the top job at the EPA.

Read the correspondence here