Trump Nominates Lee Zeldin for EPA Head as Part of Plan to Roll Back Climate Regulations
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Monday that he will nominate former New York Representative Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a move that is expected to play a key role in Trump’s strategy to dismantle significant climate regulations.
Trump has long campaigned on promises to “kill” or “cancel” EPA rules designed to curb global warming, particularly those limiting fossil fuel emissions from vehicles, power plants, and oil and gas operations. One of Trump’s top priorities is to reverse the Biden administration’s flagship climate regulation, which aims to accelerate the shift from gasoline-powered vehicles to electric ones.
Zeldin, 44, a former congressman from Long Island who ran for governor of New York in 2022, is a staunch Trump supporter. He voted against certifying the 2020 election results, aligning himself with Trump’s more populist, right-wing agenda.
In a statement on social media, Zeldin said, "It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator. We will restore U.S. energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the U.S. the global leader in AI, all while protecting access to clean air and water.”
Trump, in his announcement, emphasized that Zeldin would lead the EPA in making "fair and swift deregulatory decisions," aimed at unleashing the power of American businesses while maintaining what he called the "highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet."
The EPA has long been a target for Trump, who has blamed environmental regulations for hindering industries like construction and oil drilling. In his first term, Trump rolled back more than 100 environmental policies, many of which President Biden subsequently reinstated or strengthened.
Reports suggest that some members of Trump’s transition team are even discussing the possibility of relocating the EPA headquarters and its 7,000 employees out of Washington, D.C., though such discussions remain in the early stages.
Zeldin’s record on environmental issues is mixed. Though he was a member of the House Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, his lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters was a mere 14 percent, indicating limited support for progressive climate policies. Zeldin voted against major clean water and clean air legislation, as well as the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which allocated $370 billion to clean energy and electric vehicles.
However, Zeldin did support some conservation measures, such as legislation to ban oil and gas drilling off U.S. coasts and a bipartisan conservation bill signed by Trump, which guaranteed funding for land preservation.
While his environmental record may raise concerns among environmental advocates, Zeldin's nomination signals a broader shift in Republican foreign policy under Trump, as the party embraces a more pro-business, deregulatory stance.
Despite mixed reactions to his nomination, Zeldin’s appointment would mark a significant move to reshape U.S. environmental policy, especially as Trump faces a rapidly changing global landscape marked by conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as an increasingly assertive China.
If confirmed, Zeldin’s leadership at the EPA could bring a new chapter in the ongoing battle over climate regulations, with profound implications for both domestic environmental policy and international climate agreements.
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