EPA inspector general to investigate agency chief's travels to OklahomaWASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The frequent travels of the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, to Oklahoma will be investigated following congressional requests, the agency’s Office of Inspector General said on Monday. Pruitt’s many travels to his home state have fueled speculation that he intends to run for the U.S. Senate from Oklahoma. “Administrator Pruitt is traveling the country to hear directly from the people impacted by EPA’s regulations outside of the Washington bubble,” said Amy Graham, an EPA spokeswoman. “This is nothing more than a distraction from the Administrator’s significant environmental accomplishments.” The Office of Inspector General said it would look into the “frequency, cost and extent” of Pruitt’s travels to Oklahoma through July 31, and whether travel policies and procedures were followed. It said the investigation will also aim to determine “whether EPA policies and procedures are sufficiently designed to prevent fraud, waste and abuse with the Administrator’s travel that included trips to Oklahoma.” Pruitt was in Oklahoma on at least 43 of the 92 days of March, April and May, according to copies of his travel records obtained by the Environmental Integrity Project watchdog group and reviewed by Reuters last month. The travel records show Pruitt’s schedule this spring often took him to cities in the U.S. heartland where he held meetings, often with oil and gas industry representatives, made speeches and attended events before flying to Tulsa for extended weekends. The records showed Pruitt paid for some legs of the trips directly related to his visits home, although it was not clear he paid for all such legs. Pruitt has riled environmentalists by raising doubts about climate change and by vowing to sweep away scores of Obama-era regulations to help business. “Pruitt seems to be using these visits to launch his political career,” said Melinda Pierce, legislative director for the Sierra Club, an environmental group that has been deeply critical of Pruitt. “Perhaps he should use polluter money to fund these trips if he’s going to continue doing their bidding.” Before becoming head of the EPA under Republican President Donald Trump in February, he was Oklahoma’s attorney general and repeatedly sued the agency he now runs to block federal environmental rules. politicsNews
epa inspector general investigate agency chief travels york reuters the frequent travels head environmental protection agency scott print oklahoma investigated following congressional requests agency office inspector general said monday print many travels home state fueled speculation intends run senate oklahoma administrator print traveling country hear directly people impacted epa regulations outside washington bubble said amy graham epa spokeswoman this nothing distraction administrator significant environmental the office inspector general said would look frequency cost extent print travels oklahoma july whether travel policies procedures followed it said investigation also aim determine whether epa policies procedures sufficiently designed prevent fraud waste abuse administrator travel included trips print oklahoma least days march april may according copies travel records obtained environmental integrity project watchdog group reviewed reuters last month the travel records show print schedule spring often took cities heartland held meetings often oil gas industry representatives made speeches attended events flying tulsa extended weekends the records showed print paid legs trips directly related visits home although clear paid legs print ruled environmentalists raising doubts climate change vowing sweep away scores regulations help business print seems using visits launch political career said linda pierce legislative director sierra club environmental group deeply critical print perhaps use polluted money fund trips going continue before becoming head epa republican president donald trump february oklahoma attorney general repeatedly sued agency runs block federal environmental rules politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: EPA inspector general to investigate agency chief's travels to OklahomaWASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The frequent travels of the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, to Oklahoma will be investigated following congressional requests, the agency’s Office of Inspector General said on Monday. Pruitt’s many travels to his home state have fueled speculation that he intends to run for the U.S. Senate from Oklahoma. “Administrator Pruitt is traveling the country to hear directly from the people impacted by EPA’s regulations outside of the Washington bubble,” said Amy Graham, an EPA spokeswoman. “This is nothing more than a distraction from the Administrator’s significant environmental accomplishments.” The Office of Inspector General said it would look into the “frequency, cost and extent” of Pruitt’s travels to Oklahoma through July 31, and whether travel policies and procedures were followed. It said the investigation will also aim to determine “whether EPA policies and procedures are sufficiently designed to prevent fraud, waste and abuse with the Administrator’s travel that included trips to Oklahoma.” Pruitt was in Oklahoma on at least 43 of the 92 days of March, April and May, according to copies of his travel records obtained by the Environmental Integrity Project watchdog group and reviewed by Reuters last month. The travel records show Pruitt’s schedule this spring often took him to cities in the U.S. heartland where he held meetings, often with oil and gas industry representatives, made speeches and attended events before flying to Tulsa for extended weekends. The records showed Pruitt paid for some legs of the trips directly related to his visits home, although it was not clear he paid for all such legs. Pruitt has riled environmentalists by raising doubts about climate change and by vowing to sweep away scores of Obama-era regulations to help business. “Pruitt seems to be using these visits to launch his political career,” said Melinda Pierce, legislative director for the Sierra Club, an environmental group that has been deeply critical of Pruitt. “Perhaps he should use polluter money to fund these trips if he’s going to continue doing their bidding.” Before becoming head of the EPA under Republican President Donald Trump in February, he was Oklahoma’s attorney general and repeatedly sued the agency he now runs to block federal environmental rules. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: epa inspector general investigate agency chief travels york reuters the frequent travels head environmental protection agency scott print oklahoma investigated following congressional requests agency office inspector general said monday print many travels home state fueled speculation intends run senate oklahoma administrator print traveling country hear directly people impacted epa regulations outside washington bubble said amy graham epa spokeswoman this nothing distraction administrator significant environmental the office inspector general said would look frequency cost extent print travels oklahoma july whether travel policies procedures followed it said investigation also aim determine whether epa policies procedures sufficiently designed prevent fraud waste abuse administrator travel included trips print oklahoma least days march april may according copies travel records obtained environmental integrity project watchdog group reviewed reuters last month the travel records show print schedule spring often took cities heartland held meetings often oil gas industry representatives made speeches attended events flying tulsa extended weekends the records showed print paid legs trips directly related visits home although clear paid legs print ruled environmentalists raising doubts climate change vowing sweep away scores regulations help business print seems using visits launch political career said linda pierce legislative director sierra club environmental group deeply critical print perhaps use polluted money fund trips going continue before becoming head epa republican president donald trump february oklahoma attorney general repeatedly sued agency runs block federal environmental rules politicsnews