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Forty-five minutes into the confirmation hearing for former NY Congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders asked, “Do you agree with President-Elect Trump that climate change is a hoax?” Zeldin’s response was clear: “I believe climate change is real.”
Just days before the inauguration, Zeldin found himself responding to a range of questions, from his commitment to protecting the economic interests of Americans to his current understanding of America’s unique climate risks. The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, a 19-member committee with jurisdiction over matters relating to environmental policy, highway maintenance, waste management, fisheries, floods, natural resources, and more, convened to review Zeldin’s nomination. Chaired by Senator Shelley Capito (R-WV), the hearing underscored a universal agreement across party lines that environmental policies directly impact the livelihoods and health of American families and the economy.
Zeldin was first elected to Congress in 2014 to represent Long Island, serving on the Foreign Affairs and Financial Services committees. He later ran unsuccessfully for governor of New York in 2022 against Gov. Kathy Hochul. If confirmed, Zeldin will serve as the 17th administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Ranking Member Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) expressed concern about Zeldin’s ability to serve as a balanced “broker” of the EPA’s mission, given his affiliation with the America First Policy Institute. The conservative Washington think tank's policy positions align closely with those of the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025. “Will he (Zeldin) follow the science, economics, and protect our air, water, and climate, or will he merely be a rubber stamp for looters and polluters setting the Trump agenda?” Whitehouse stated in his opening remarks.
According to Sen. Scott Barrasso (R-WY), the outgoing EPA leadership has caused more harm than good. Barrasso introduced Zeldin to the committee, asserting that Zeldin “understands livelihoods depend on a balanced and measured approach, not solely on radical environmentalism.”
Zeldin’s opening remarks referenced Trump’s victory while subtly acknowledging the relationship between environmental leadership and economic growth. “The American people made their voices heard in November, giving President Trump the mandate to lead our nation to prosperity,” Zeldin said. He believes that science should be left to the scientists and policy to the policymakers.
Throughout his testimony, Zeldin expressed profound respect for the scientific community, elevating the role of professional science in executing the EPA’s mission. When probed about the contribution of fossil fuel emissions to a warming world by Ranking Member Sen. Whitehouse, Zeldin articulated, “I don’t sit before you as a scientist; fortunately, at the EPA, we have many talented scientists who provide that research. They have the expertise to tell us exactly what the metrics are of their research.” Despite not being a scientist himself, Zeldin is undeniably climate-literate and spoke matter-of-factly about the science of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide from fossil fuel emissions.
Zeldin believes the 55-year-old agency’s mission is both simple and essential. “We must do everything in our power to harness the greatness of American innovation, with American conservation and environmental stewardship. We must ensure we are protecting the environment while protecting the economy,” he stated. He agreed with Sanders that reducing global carbon emissions would require working with adversarial countries such as China, and assured Sanders that he would work on congressional energy priorities, including the $7 billion Solar for All bill Sanders announced with former EPA Administrator Michael Regan in 2023.
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), a newcomer to the EPW committee and the only other woman of color alongside Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), asked questions related to watersheds, restoration, and drinking water infrastructure. Zeldin assured Sen. Alsobrooks that he would build on the momentum of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, despite opposing it during his tenure as a congressman from New York. When responding to Sen. Blunt Rochester about protecting coastal communities from sea-level rise, Zeldin emphasized the importance of multi-agency collaboration. “We (EPA) might not have the funding that the Army Corps of Engineers or the Department of the Interior has, but collaboration is critical,” he said earnestly.
While Zeldin’s testimony addressed several environmental concerns, questions about the disproportionate impacts of climate change on Black Americans went unmentioned.