Kathleen Hartnett White is facing scrutiny from U.S. senators today as part of her nomination to lead President Trump鈥檚 Council on Environmental Quality. Hartnett White was Texas' top regulator for six years. Her nomination to the White House post has proved controversial, even in an administration that is no stranger to controversy.
Much of the storm surrounding Hartnett White's nomination stems from her history as a Texas regulator and statements she鈥檚 made since, most recently while promoting her book Fueling Freedom.
鈥淭he book has all kinds of examples of the really beneficial impacts of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere,鈥� she said .
CO2, of course, is a major contributor to global warming. But Hartnett White has suggested that climate regulation is a form of pushed by . She鈥檚 called renewable energy 鈥渦nreliable and parasitic鈥� and she really, really, likes fossil fuels.
鈥淔ossil fuels are the remains of life, plant and animal life,鈥� she said in an interview with a . 鈥淭hey come back through burning them to amplify our lives. To do work that we otherwise would have to do ourselves.鈥�
She鈥檚 called CO2, 鈥� 鈥�
鈥淪he鈥檚 not a scientist,鈥� said Jim Marston, director the Environmental Defense Fund in Texas, not concealing his exasperation at Hartnett White鈥檚 nomination.
In 30 years at the EDF, he鈥檚 butted heads with a lot of officials. But he says Hartnett White stands out for her 鈥渦nusual鈥� opposition to regulations.
鈥淚 say 鈥榰nusual鈥� because no matter what the standard was, whether it was in regard to smog or mercury 鈥� she was against it,鈥� Marston said.
Hartnett White would likely disagree. From 2001 to 2007, she was the top regulator at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. She hasn鈥檛 given interviews since her nomination, but when she spoke to KUT several years ago, she said she supported regulations 鈥� just not at the expense of growth.
鈥淓nvironmental regulators almost entirely don鈥檛 know about every technological means you might be able to do this or do that,鈥� she said. 鈥淚ndustry does know that. They鈥檙e the ones that develop the emissions-control technology that still allows some growth, yet emissions are reduced.鈥�
The philosophy that growing industry is essential to a healthy environment is shared by her most recent employer, the , a conservative think tank.
鈥淩egulation gets in the way of human flourishing,鈥� said Kevin Roberts, executive vice president of the foundation. 鈥淜athleen has a wonderful track record of being an excellent spokeswoman 鈥� on how humans can benefit, how humans can flourish, rather than have their lives intruded upon.鈥�
Roberts wouldn't comment on individual statements by Harnett White, but said he believes the media has been unfair to her since her nomination.
Still, her statements make critics say she's unfit for the post and leave some wondering why she was even nominated.
Marston has one theory: She makes others in the administration seem moderate by comparison.
鈥淢aybe it makes [EPA] Administrator [Scott] Pruitt seem not so strange, or even things that the president says don鈥檛 seem so whacky if someone else is out there saying it,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the only thing I can conclude at this point.鈥�
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