An analysis of Pruitt's written responses within a 242-page report from the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee detailed many contentious waste-related issues that could receive federal attention during the Trump administration. Pruitt's default response on almost all of them was to plead ignorance.

While specificity is often rare in confirmation hearings, Pruitt was particularly tight-lipped with his views on some of the top federal waste issues. Though based on this questionnaire and previous statements, he seems more inclined to a state-based regulatory approach with less focus on climate change mitigation than his predecessor. How much he will change the EPA or whether he will have a direct affect on how the industry operates remains to be seen.