By Megan Quinn, Waste Dive
U.S. EPA administrator nominee Lee Zeldin acknowledged industry concerns about how recent PFAS regulations could impact business operations during his first confirmation hearing this week.
Zeldin, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the top EPA role, appeared before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Thursday. He noted that pollution from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances was a threat to the environment and said he would work within the EPA’s authority to help those affected by such pollution.
Zeldin was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2023, and the Republican nominee for governor of New York in 2022. During his time in office, he voted in favor of several bills related to regulating PFAS.
During the three-hour hearing, Zeldin fielded questions about ongoing pollution in U.S. waterways, including from plastic, as well as how he would handle overall agency spending, including from previous Inflation Reduction Act funding.
If confirmed, Zeldin said he would work with longtime EPA staff and with Republicans and Democrats to quickly get up to speed on numerous pressing environmental and health issues, especially as they impact the U.S. economy. He underscored his belief in the “rule of law” and said he would prioritize compliance.
“The EPA must also be better stewards of tax dollars, honor cooperative federalism and be transparent and accountable to Congress and the public,” Zeldin said in his opening statement.
He added that many Americans voted for Trump due to concerns about economic mobility and stretched family budgets.
“We can, and we must, protect our precious environment without suffocating the economy,” he said. “A big part of this will require building private sector collaboration to promote common sense, smart regulation that will allow American innovation to continue to lead the world.”
Related news:
Trump Chooses Lee Zeldin to Run E.P.A. as He Plans to Gut Climate Rules (NY Times)
Trump’s E.P.A. Nominee, Is Short on Environmental Experience (New York Times)
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