In response to the U.S. Senate confirming Lee Zeldin as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Evergreen Action Executive Director Lena Moffitt released the following statement:

“With today’s vote, Senate Republicans have installed yet another Trump loyalist to advance his agenda of environmental destruction. Despite Lee Zeldin’s repeated assurances to ‘fully’ follow the law, his blind loyalty to President Trump in the face of illegal, destructive executive actions makes it clear that his EPA will put polluters over people. Trump’s reckless and unconstitutional power grab has already thrown critical EPA programs into chaos, attempting to block funding for essential initiatives like clean water infrastructure and hazardous waste cleanups. As the administration moves to gut wildly popular clean energy investments and environmental protections, Zeldin has made clear he will fall in line, rolling back essential safeguards while Americans bear the cost.

“Just days after Trump’s brazen attempt to block funding that Americans rely on, it is deeply disappointing that some Senate Democrats failed to stand against Zeldin’s nomination. While Trump ramps up his illegal attempts to force through the most extreme policies in his Project 2025 agenda, now is the time for Democrats to stand united against the Republican Party’s assault on our system of government. The American people deserve an EPA Administrator who will fight for their health and safety—not a yes-man who will look the other way while Trump breaks the law to serve his billionaire donors and polluter allies.”

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