Trump Taps Lee Zeldin To Lead EPA, The Ex-Congressman Who Previously Voted Against Biden's Act Aimed At Combating Climate Change

President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that he will appoint former Congressman Lee Zeldin as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

What Happened: “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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Following Trump’s announcement, Zeldin took to X and wrote, “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”

Zeldin, however, has to be confirmed by the Senate.

Why It Matters: Zeldin, during his time in Congress, voted against Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act aimed at tackling climate change. The Act includes a combination of grants, loans, tax provisions, and other incentives to enable the deployment of clean energy, clean vehicles, clean buildings, and clean manufacturing.

Trump, meanwhile, is not a fan of electric vehicles. He has said that he will end the existing vehicle pollution rules while also removing tax credits and incentives available for the purchase of electric vehicles.

Trump is also expected to ease up regulations for oil and gas companies to drill and sell natural gas offshore in the upcoming term.

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Photo courtesy: Gage Skidmore via Flickr