Zeldin, Trump's pick as EPA head, was a bit player on environment

WASHINGTON — Former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin, President-elect Donald Trump’s intended nominee for EPA administrator, brings scant experience on environmental issues to the job but strong ties to Trump.

In a statement, Trump said that Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.”

“It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator. We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” Zeldin said in a post on X.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. — set to lead the Environment and Public Works Committee, which will consider Zeldin’s nomination in the new year — said Trump “made a strong choice in selecting” Zeldin.

Zeldin’s reference to artificial intelligence foreshadows a repeal of the Biden administration’s regulations on new natural gas- and existing coal-fired plants, which were finalized earlier this year and require operators to eventually capture 90% of their carbon dioxide emissions.

These rules, as well as others under the Clean Air Act, have been criticized by Republicans for potentially forcing the retirement of coal and affecting reliability of the electricity system. After remaining flat for decades, electricity demand has increased in recent years, in part because of demand from data centers. Experts predict increasing use of AI to further drive up demand.

Trump has promised to “end the electric vehicle mandate,” perhaps by repealing other EPA regulations, including those governing tailpipe carbon emissions standards from the automotive industry.

Zeldin was first elected to represent a district on New York’s Long Island in the House in 2014, a position he held until he unsuccessfully ran against Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2022. During his time in Congress he was a member of the House Foreign Affairs and Financial Services committees.

Trump campaigned for Zeldin during his gubernatorial run, and Zeldin was a campaign surrogate for Trump. His name had been floated for other positions, including Education secretary.

Environmental groups expressed their immediate opposition to Zeldin as head of the EPA.

“We need a steady, experienced hand at EPA to marshal federal resources to fight climate change and utilize the full power of the law to protect communities from toxic pollution. Lee Zeldin is not that person,” Earthjustice President Abigail Dillen said in a statement. “His loyalty to Donald Trump indicates he will gladly take a sledgehammer to EPA’s most recent lifesaving regulations, putting politics over science and endangering our communities.”

The League of Conservation Voters gave Zeldin an environmental score of 14 out of 100 based on his voting record in the House, a metric that also includes other topics, such as voting rights and marriage equality.

Zeldin did buck the majority of his party on some Democratic bills during his time in Congress. He was one of 23 Republicans in 2021 who voted in favor of a bill that would have placed some per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, under a National Drinking Water Standard. He also voted against Republican amendments that would have cut funding for the EPA when the House was under Democratic control.

Zeldin voted against both the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law and the 2022 climate tax and health care reconciliation law. He was also one of the Republicans to vote against the 2017 Republican tax overhaul over opposition to changes for state and local tax deductions.

Since leaving Congress, Zeldin has chaired the China Policy Initiative at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank launched by former Trump administration officials.