From the USEPA

New York, N.Y. (February 6, 2025) – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that President Donald J. Trump has appointed Michael Martucci as the Regional Administrator for EPA Region 2. As Regional Administrator for EPA Region 2, Mike is overseeing the EPA’s work to carry out important priorities of the administration’s environmental agenda and protect the people of the region covering New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and eight federally recognized Indian Nations.

“As a businessman, state senator, and community leader, Mike Martucci has proven he is committed to service,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “In the New York State Senate, he championed legislation aimed at improving our environment and advancing conservation. Mike brings a wealth of private and public sector experience and is exactly who we need leading Region 2. I am excited to have him aboard.”

Mike Martucci is a former NY State Senator, and respected business owner and farmer from the Hudson Valley. During his time in the NY State Senate, Mike was a supporter of New York’s Environmental Bond Act and passed legislation related to open space protection and inland waterway designation throughout his district which included portions of Orange, Ulster, and Delaware Counties as well as all of Sullivan County. 

After college, Mike founded a school transportation company which grew from one bus that Mike drove to one of the largest in the country. The company now serves thousands of schoolchildren and their families in the Hudson Valley Region of New York. A family farmer, Mike is a steward of our environment and understands the importance of preserving open space for future generations. 

Mike is a lifelong resident of Orange County. He is a dedicated family man who believes in giving back to his community through volunteerism, teaching and philanthropy. He is a graduate of Marist College where he obtained a Master of Business Administration degree. Mike and his wife Erin are raising their three children in Orange County, NY.

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By Hannah Natanson, Gerrit De Vynck, Elizabeth Dwoskin and Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Washington Post

Representatives from Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service have fed sensitive data from across the Education Department into artificial intelligence software to probe the agency’s programs and spending, according to two people with knowledge of the DOGE team’s actions.

The AI probe includes data with personally identifiable information for people who manage grants, as well as sensitive internal financial data, the two people said. They described DOGE activities at the Education Department on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation.

The DOGE team is using AI software accessed through Microsoft’s cloud computing service Azure to pore through every dollar of money the department disburses, from contracts to grants to work trip expenses, one of the people said. Lower-level department staffers were directed by agency leadership to let Musk’s teams access the sensitive financial data, the person said.

The use of AI inside the Department of Education, which has not previously been reported, shows how Musk’s group, which includes former employees from his tech empire, is tapping the favorite tool of Silicon Valley as part of its mission to drastically slash the size and functions of the federal government.

Read the full story here

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