At the moment , 85 percent of the government ’s science or scientific discipline - pertain place remain unfilled . The fresh administration is n’t exactly scientific discipline well-disposed , so this is n’t surprising – and when they do fill these posts , they are often creationists , climate deniers , or anti - vaxxers . No wonderment scientists are ( finally)running for Congressen masse shot .
Unfortunately , as of this week , it look like the governing will persist in to double - down on itsinabilitytochoosepeople who are in any direction appropriate for the job . The a la mode cerebral injured party arrive at the Department of Justice ( DoJ ) and become by the name of Jeffrey Bossert Clark , of Virginia . He will now be an Assistant Attorney General of the Environment and Natural Resources Division ( ENRD ) .
Mr Clark is a extremely experienced attorney , one who is currently a “ partner in the Washington , D.C. authority of Kirkland & Ellis LLP . , ” according to the White Housepress releaseon the appointment . He ’s plainly also “ make headway numerous cases in multiple Circuits , ” and “ from 2001 to 2005 , Clark was the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the ENRD of the Justice Department . ”
So at a glance , he definitely sound more than qualified to do this chore – and he is . However , there is a piddling part of his backstory that entirely sullies this .
As report byReuters , Clark was the lawyer for fossil oil conglomerate BP Plc during the wake of the ill-famed Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico back in 2010 .
Not only that , butEcoWatchpoint out that he ’s also signal off on plenty of clime variety denialbriefs , include one against the unbearably beleaguered Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) . He has often enter podcasts , pen blog , and composed paper that rally against the scientific consensus .
“ When did America risk get to be ruled by strange scientist and apparatchik at the United Nations ? ” Clark once opined . “ Ever since Lisa Jackson , the decision maker of the EPA under President Obama , chose to write out a rule find out that C dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger the public health and welfare , ” he angrilyanswered .
( Fact : climate changeharms your health . )
The ENRD’sjobis to bring cases against those – somebody or companies – that violate the nation ’s various pollution Pentateuch , as well as anyone threaten the protection of the country ’s public lands and innate resources . They are responsible for defending the Clean Air Act , the Endangered Species Act , and the Clean Water Act , among many others .
Making Clark its top lawyer , then , is far from ideal . It ’s not quite a conflict of interest if all former ties are severed before the post is taken , but it ’s not far off . Surely , you would reckon , a pro - environmental attorney would be best position at the ENRD – but no . Screw the environment , it ’s 2017 !
