EPA nominee Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt (AP Photo)

(CNSNews.com) - Environmental Protection Agency nominee Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt told the Senate Wednesday that he rejects the false narrative that “if you’re pro-energy, you’re anti-environment, and if you’re pro-environment, you’re anti-energy.”



“If confirmed, I would lead EPA with the following principles in mind: First, we must reject the false paradigm that if you’re pro-energy, you’re anti-environment, and if you’re pro-environment, you’re anti-energy. I utterly reject that narrative,” Pruitt said in his opening statement at his confirmation hearing.





“In this nation, we can grow our economy, harvest the resources God has blessed us with, while also being good stewards of the air, land and water by which we’ve been favored. It is not an either/or proposition,” Pruitt said.



“Next, we should celebrate the great progress we’ve made as a nation since the inception of the EPA and that laws that have been passed by this body, but recognize that we have much work to do,” he said.



“Third, rule of law matters. Process matters. It inspires confidence in those that are regulated. The law is static – not transient. Regulators are supposed to make things regular, to fairly and equitably enforce the rules and not pick winners and losers,” Pruitt said.



“A regulator should not be for or against any sector of our economy. Instead, a regulator ought to follow the law in setting up the rules so that those who are regulating can plan, allocate resources to meet the standards, versus operating in state of uncertainty and duress,” he added.



“Fourth, federalism matters. It matters because Congress says so, and because we need it to achieve good outcomes as a nation for air and water quality, we need the partnership of the states to achieve that. It is our state regulators who oftentimes best understand the local needs and the uniqueness of our environmental challenges. Plus, our state regulators possess the resources and expertise to enforce our environmental laws,” Pruitt said.



“Fifth, public participation is key. We need to hear all voices as we make decisions on behalf of our country with respect to environmental laws,” he added.