President Donald Trump has selected former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), vowing that the appointment will “ensure fair and expeditious deregulation decisions” by the regulator. Ta.
President Trump, who oversaw the rollback of more than 100 environmental regulations during his last U.S. presidency, said Zeldin was a “true fighter for the America First policy” and “a fair and fair policy that will, in some ways, be enacted into law.” “This will ensure swift deregulation decisions.” It’s about unleashing the power of American business while maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on earth. ”
Zeldin, a Republican who served in the House until last year representing a New York district that covers part of Long Island, said he was “honoured” to be nominated and looks forward to eliminating the bureaucracy at the Environmental Protection Agency. he said. admin.
“We will restore America’s energy advantage, revitalize the auto industry and bring back American jobs, and make America the world leader in AI,” Zeldin wrote in X. “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”
Mr. Zeldin, 44, is considered a close ally of Mr. Trump and ran a surprisingly close 2022 New York gubernatorial race, where he was nominated by Democrat Kathy Hochul. During the campaign, Mr. Zeldin attacked Mr. Hochul’s “far-left climate policies” and accused the Democrat of forcing people to drive electric cars.
The EPA nominees, who must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, have said little about environment and climate issues in the past, but in 2014 they argued that “we have just as serious a problem as everyone else.” I’m still not satisfied with the whole thing.” “We are affected by global warming,” he said, adding that in 2018, he would not support the Paris climate accord, from which President Trump is again expected to withdraw the United States.
Mr. Zeldin has received only 14% of votes from the League of Conservation Voters on environmental votes in his 15 years as a member of Congress, and he is pushing for an overhaul of the EPA that rivals anything seen before since its founding in 1970. is expected to supervise.
An expected exodus of staff from the agency, which has already made it the target of political interference, undermines its work protecting Americans from toxic chemicals and global warming emissions from cars, trucks and power plants. They have expressed concern that this may be the case.
“Creating the names of unqualified, anti-American workers who oppose efforts to protect our clean air and water is Donald Trump’s bid to sell out our health, communities, jobs, and future to corporate polluters. It once again exposes intentions,” Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, said of Zeldin’s nomination.
“For our lives, our livelihoods, and our collective future, we cannot tolerate Lee Zeldin or anyone else who seeks to carry out a mission that is the exact opposite of EPA’s mission.”
Trump nominated Zeldin less than a week after winning the presidential election, compared to the previous term, when it took until December to nominate Scott Pruitt as the Environmental Protection Agency nominee. much faster.
Mr. Pruitt has been embroiled in a series of ethics scandals, including allegations that he gave unfair raises to employees, installed expensive soundproof phone booths in his office, and ordered employees to bring in moisturizer and their favorite mattresses. , resigned in 2018.
