"EPA: Pruitt Bristles At Attempts To Link Harvey To Climate Change"

"Top U.S. EPA officials are calling efforts to link Hurricane Harvey and climate change 'misplaced' and politically motivated.

'EPA is focused on the safety of those affected by Hurricane Harvey and providing emergency response support, not engaging in attempts to politicize an ongoing tragedy,' EPA spokeswoman Liz Bowman told E&E News when asked about some scientists' contention that climate change has exacerbated the storm.

Her comments came after EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt earlier this week also brushed off questions about whether the storm was a product of rising global temperatures.

Asked by the conservative outlet Breitbart News Daily what he thought about 'liberal media' linking the storm to climate change, Pruitt said he had not had a chance to watch the news in the midst of emergency response coordination.

'I think at this point to look at things like this and talk about a cause and effect isn't really helping the people of Texas right now,' he said. 'I think for opportunistic media to use this without basis or support to simply engage in a cause-and-effect type of discussion and not focus on the needs of people, I think is misplaced.'"

Arianna Skibell and Niina Heikkinen report for Greenwire August 30, 2017.

SEE ALSO:

"Trump Team Politicizes Superstorm Harvey By Attacking Scientists For Doing Their Job" (Think Progress)

"For Scott Pruitt’s EPA, Climate-Change Denial Is Mission Critical" (Nation)

"12 Years After Katrina, Hurricane Harvey Pummels Gulf Coast and Its Climate Science-Denying Politicians" (DeSmog)

"Conservative Groups Shrug Off Link Between Tropical Storm Harvey And Climate Change" (Guardian)

"Breitbart Radio Host Pushes Trump’s EPA Chief To Deny Link Between Hurricane Harvey And Climate Change" (Media Matters)

"Administrator Pruitt Meets With Hurricane Harvey Responders and Officials in Texas" (EPA Release)

"Want To Talk Climate Change With A Texan Right Now? Show Some Compassion First." (Grist)

"Climate Change Did Not 'Cause' Harvey, But It’S A Huge Part Of The Story" (Vox)