Zeldin’s Devastating Record May Get Him a Promotion
Zeldin’s EPA acted unlawfully to cut protections for clean air and water and abdicate the legal responsibility to tackle climate pollution.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump is considering nominating Lee Zeldin, the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to be attorney general, according to news reports.
The following is statement from Manish Bapna, president of NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):
"As head of the EPA, Lee Zeldin has taken unlawful actions over and over again. He gutted protections for clean air and clean water, gave chemical plants a free pass to pollute, and is walking away from the agency’s legal responsibility to tackle the climate crisis.
“Given this administration’s priorities, it’s no surprise that a record defined by lawless actions and environmental harm would be rewarded with a promotion to attorney general.”
Background
Zeldin has presided over unprecedented attacks on public health and the environment at the EPA, as detailed in this memorandum, "A Year of Betrayal: EPA Under Lee Zeldin."
Zeldin slashed protections for waterways and wetlands, put chemical and oil industry lobbyists in charge of regulating those sectors, moved to walk away from rules to limit PFAS in drinking water, rescinded the legal responsibility to address climate pollution from cars and trucks, and gave industrial facilities a free pass to pollute. Those harmful—and illegal—actions are being challenged in the courts.
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).