Protection Agency, citing his numerous lawsuits against the agency.
Pruitt is
scheduled to face a Senate confirmation vote on Friday. Unless more Republicans
join Collins in opposing Pruitt, his nomination is likely to be approved.
Republicans hold 52 of the 100 seats in the chamber and Vice President Mike
Pence could cast the deciding vote in case of a tie.
"Due to
my concerns about Mr. Pruitt's commitment to the mission of the EPA, I will
cast my vote in opposition to his confirmation," Collins said in a
statement.
President
Donald Trump has vowed to cut regulation to revive the oil, gas and coal
industries, and has said he can do so without compromising air and water
quality.
The Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee approved Pruitt's nomination two weeks
ago after Democrats boycotted the vote over concerns about Pruitt's
environmental record.
As Oklahoma
attorney general, Pruitt sued the EPA more than a dozen times on behalf of the
oil-drilling state and he has cast doubts on the science of climate change.
"His
actions leave me with considerable doubts about whether his vision for the EPA
is consistent with the agency's critical mission to protect human health and
the environment," Collins said.
She said
Pruitt had sued the EPA on issues of importance to Maine, including mercury
controls for coal-fired power plants and efforts to reduce cross-state air
pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Senator Tom
Carper, the top Democrat on the energy committee, and several other Democrats
have asked Senate Leader Mitch McConnell to delay a procedural vote on Pruitt
scheduled for Thursday.
They want the
vote delayed until after the conclusion of an emergency hearing in Oklahoma to
be held at 4 p.m. ET that will consider whether emails between Pruitt's office
and officials at oil and gas companies should be released.
Access to
those records was requested by the Center for Media and Democracy, a watchdog
group, more than two years ago.
Conservative
group FreedomWorks blasted Collins, who also voted against the nomination last
week of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Pence's vote was needed to break a tie
before DeVos was confirmed.
FreedomWorks
Chief Executive Adam Brandon said in a statement it was "a shame"
that Collins was again aligning herself with "far-left Democrats and
special interests."
REUTERS
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