President-elect Donald Trump has selected former New York congressman Lee Zeldin to run the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The nomination for EPA administrator will need confirmation from the Senate, where Republicans are poised to hold a majority of seats next term.
“Zeldin will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses,” Trump said in a statement, adding that Zeldin will still maintain “the highest environmental standards.” NPR reports environmental groups decried the nomination as a step backward for environmental policy.
Reuters reports during his time in Congress from 2015 to 2023 as a representative from New York, Zeldin cast “yes” votes on key pieces of environmental legislation just 14% of the time, according to a scorecard by environmental group the League of Conservation Voters.
