Listen to this articleLee Zeldin, the former Long Island Republican congressman and President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the Environmental Protection Agency, testified Thursday before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Zeldin, who faced questions about climate change, regulations and more, spoke of protecting the environment “without suffocating the economy.”
“If confirmed, I pledge to enthusiastically uphold the EPA’s mission,” said Zeldin, a resident of Shirley.
“I will foster a collaborative culture within the agency supporting career staff who have dedicated themselves to this mission,” he said.
“I strongly believe we have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of our environment for generations to come. It’s been so motivating to see the tremendous talent stepping up to serve in the EPA. I couldn’t be more excited to partner with our EPA team nationwide to exceptionally serve the American public.”
Still, he said, protecting the economy was also key.
“We can and we must protect our precious environment without suffocating the economy. A big part of this will require building private sector collaboration to promote common sense, smart regulation that will allow American innovation to continue to lead the world,” he said. “If confirmed, under the EPA with my leadership we will prioritize compliance as much as possible. I believe in the rule of law, and I want to work with people to ensure they do their part to protect our environment.
Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island asked Zeldin about climate change science, including what impact carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels have on the atmosphere.
“I don’t sit before you as a scientist,” Zeldin said, but after a follow-up question said carbon dioxide traps heat.
He said he was committed to achieving clean water and air, but didn’t provide specifics about what he would do to address climate change. President-elect Donald Trump has cast doubt on basic climate science and promised to enact an energy policy that expands oil and gas development.
During the hearing, Zeldin said he would seek feedback about environmental regulations and their impact on businesses, workers and industry.
“The worst thing I could possibly do, that the EPA could do, is turn a blind eye to great, substantive feedback that will better inform our decisions,” he said.
During the hearing, however, Zeldin repeatedly declined to commit to specific policies, promising instead not to prejudge outcomes before arriving at EPA. When asked by Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska about whether he would roll back programs that promote electric cars — a program Trump has criticized — Zeldin stayed vague but acknowledged Republican opposition.
“I will tell you that I have heard concerns from you, and many others in this chamber, of how important it is to look at rules that are currently on the books,” he said.
While in Congress, Zeldin did not serve on committees with environmental-policy oversight. He had a lifetime score of 14% from the League of Conservation Voters during his eight years in Congress.
Yet on the pages of LIBN, Zeldin has championed projects protecting Long Island’s coastal communities and wetland areas to reduce storm damage and safeguard infrastructure. In 2016, Zeldin was part of a bipartisan effort that called on the EPA to reject a proposal to designate a disposal site for dredged materials, from harbors and navigation channels, in the eastern region of the Long Island Sound.
At the hearing Thursday, Zeldin said that he wants “every child in this nation, including my daughters and your children, to inherit a world with clean air, clean water, and a thriving economy. This mission must transcend politics, and I look forward to working with all of you to achieve it.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.