Former New York GOP Congressman Lee Zeldin has been tapped to become the next chief of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under incoming President-elect Donald Trump, the New York Post reported Wednesday.
“Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies,” incoming President-elect Donald Trump said in a statement confirming the appointment. “He 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.
“He will set new standards on environmental review and maintenance that will allow the United States to grow in a healthy and well-structured way,” Trump said.
“I have known known Lee Zeldin for a long time, and have watched him handle, brilliantly, some extremely difficult and complex situations. I am very proud to have him in the Trump Administration, where he will quickly prove to be a great contributor!” Trump added.
“I am deeply honored to have been asked by President Trump to serve in his Cabinet,” Zeldin told the Post in response to the nomination.
“As EPA Administrator, we will restore American energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, make the United States the global leader of Artificial Intelligence advancement, and slash the red tape holding back American workers from upward economic mobility.
““We will accomplish all this while conserving our environment, protecting access to clean air and water, and keeping the American people healthy,” Zeldin said.
The EPA regulates vehicle emission standards and other policies that affect air, water, and energy.
Under EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, Zeldin will oversee a $27billion budget aimed at moving the country towards clean energy. He will also have influence over regulations for new power facilities and transmission lines required for artificial intelligence, the Post reported.
Zeldin joins another Republican New Yorker – US Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) – in the new cabinet. Stefanik, who is Catholic, has been chosen to serve as America’s new Ambassador to the United Nations.
Zeldin, who is Jewish, served four terms in Congress representing eastern Long Island before running for New York governor in 2022, a race he narrowly lost to Democrat Kathy Hochul.
He was elected to the New York State Senate after having served four years in the US military and earning a law degree from Albany School of Law prior to entering Congress.
Although his nomination must be approved by the Senate, Zeldin’s appointment is unlikely to be rejected since the GOP now controls both houses of Congress.
