What Lee Zeldin’s Nomination Means for the EPA

Zeldin, a 44-year-old lawyer and erstwhile Army lieutenant, does not person a inheritance successful biology policy. He made his foray into authorities done the New York State Senate successful 2011, serving until 2014. That year, helium was elected to beryllium the US typical for the state’s 1st Congressional District, which encompasses overmuch of Long Island.

As a congressman, Zeldin did not service connected immoderate subcommittees overseeing biology policy. He regularly voted against progressive clime and situation policies, earning him a beingness people of just 14 percent from the League of Conservation Voters, an advocacy radical that tracks congressmembers’ positions connected biology legislation. At the tallness of the Covid-19 pandemic, successful 2020, helium voted against an amendment to artifact the EPA from finalizing a Trump-era soot modular that would exposure communities of colour to further aerial contamination that studies have linked to accrued Covid mortality. The amendment yet passed.

In 2021, Zeldin voted against a bill that would necessitate nationalist companies to disclose accusation astir the clime risks of their concern models. That measure passed arsenic well. The pursuing year, helium supported a failed bill that would person rescinded US information successful the United Nations Framework Convention connected Climate Change, a process that encourages planetary coordination connected clime argumentation and includes information successful the yearly UN clime conference.

Notably, Zeldin voted successful favor of a measure that would necessitate the EPA to acceptable a drinking h2o modular for PFAS and PFOA, the alleged “forever chemicals” that accumulate successful the situation and person been linked to a scope of cancers and different superior wellness issues. Last year, a section quality presumption recovered that 33 of Long Island’s 48 h2o districts person traces of these chemicals successful their drinking water.

In 2022, Zeldin ran for politician of New York and mislaid to Hochul.

Zeldin’s assignment marks a departure from existent EPA head Michael Regan, whose word volition expire erstwhile Trump assumes bureau successful January. Unlike Zeldin, Regan has a inheritance successful biology science, and earlier being nominated arsenic head served arsenic caput of North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality and worked arsenic an aerial prime specializer successful the EPA. As EPA administrator, helium has overseen the Biden administration’s historical propulsion toward biology justice, which has included assemblage engagement sessions, the strengthening of nationalist standards for particulate matter, and the overhaul of regulations for galore chemic plants.

It remains to beryllium seen whether and to what grade Regan’s initiatives and regulations volition persist implicit the years of a 2nd Trump administration. Zeldin’s information volition person to beryllium confirmed with a ballot from the Senate, which gained a Republican bulk successful the elections earlier this month.

If confirmed, Zeldin volition person sizeable powerfulness to signifier the nationalist absorption of clime and situation policy. In summation to overseeing the enforcement of existent biology laws and regulations, helium volition beryllium tasked with preparing the EPA’s yearly budget, which determines however overmuch backing volition beryllium allocated toward efforts similar authorities oversight and aerial monitoring. A much fossil fuel-inclined head mightiness take to gut these parts of the agency, enabling industry-friendly authorities agencies similar the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality oregon the Texas Commission connected Environmental Quality to modulate successful the dark.

Trump ran connected a level that prioritized minimizing regulatory oversight and maximizing fossil substance production. Zeldin’s assignment would beryllium cardinal for seeing that through.