Ex-Rep. Lee Zeldin moves closer to confirmation to lead Environmental Protection Agency
Former Rep. Lee Zeldin's nomination next goes to a vote by the full Senate. Credit: AP / Mark Schiefelbein
WASHINGTON — Former Long Island congressman Lee Zeldin moved a step closer to confirmation as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency after a Senate committee voted Thursday to recommend that the full Senate approve his nomination.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in a 20-minute meeting voted in favor of Zeldin’s nomination largely along party lines — 11-8 — as Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly stood out as the only one of the nine Democrats to vote yes.
The committee’s recommendation now goes to the Senate, where Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) will decide when to bring the nomination up for a vote by the full chamber.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), the committee chair, praised Zeldin for his intention to take a collaborative approach to running the EPA and his efforts to meet with all of the members of the committee before his hearing last week.
"His past experience as the congressman representing New York's 1st Congressional District gives him a unique understanding of how Congress makes laws, oversees the executive branch and what is expected when it gives a mandate to federal agencies," Capito said.
"As a representative from a Northeastern state and a district with a diverse set of political views, he understands what it means to build consensus to achieve durable results," she said.
"Congressman Zeldin has shown that he understands the importance of striking the right balance to improve the lives of Americans across the country to protect the environment, while also uplifting communities and cities across the nation," Capito said.
During his confirmation hearing, Zeldin agreed to work with Arizona's Maricopa County and Phoenix to help them come into compliance with the Clean Air Act for ground-level ozone pollution and to address several air quality issues.
In a statement to Newsday, Kelly said of Zeldin: “He has committed to working with me and Arizonans on the unique air and water quality challenges we face.”
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), the committee’s ranking Democrat, said Zeldin is unfit for the job of leading the EPA and will carry out President Donald Trump’s pro-oil agenda.
"The Trump agenda, after receiving immense funding from fossil fuel, is to break down climate change protections so that his big oil donors can sell more oil and gas and pollute for free," Whitehouse said.
He pointed to "a raft of anti-environmental executive orders" that Trump issued Monday.
They include orders to revisit pollution-limiting rules, to halt offshore and onshore wind projects, to reverse energy efficiency standards for household appliances and to revisit whether greenhouse gases are pollutants under the Clean Air Act.
"I do not see Mr. Zeldin having the independence to lead the agency in a manner that will protect us against these looming dangers. He doesn't even seem to see that they exist. For that reason, I will vote no, and urge a no vote," Whitehouse said.
"The question becomes, is this gentleman capable of standing against that big oil political juggernaut?" Whitehouse said. "Sadly, all signs point to no."
WASHINGTON — Former Long Island congressman Lee Zeldin moved a step closer to confirmation as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency after a Senate committee voted Thursday to recommend that the full Senate approve his nomination.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in a 20-minute meeting voted in favor of Zeldin’s nomination largely along party lines — 11-8 — as Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly stood out as the only one of the nine Democrats to vote yes.
The committee’s recommendation now goes to the Senate, where Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) will decide when to bring the nomination up for a vote by the full chamber.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), the committee chair, praised Zeldin for his intention to take a collaborative approach to running the EPA and his efforts to meet with all of the members of the committee before his hearing last week.
"His past experience as the congressman representing New York's 1st Congressional District gives him a unique understanding of how Congress makes laws, oversees the executive branch and what is expected when it gives a mandate to federal agencies," Capito said.
"As a representative from a Northeastern state and a district with a diverse set of political views, he understands what it means to build consensus to achieve durable results," she said.
"Congressman Zeldin has shown that he understands the importance of striking the right balance to improve the lives of Americans across the country to protect the environment, while also uplifting communities and cities across the nation," Capito said.
During his confirmation hearing, Zeldin agreed to work with Arizona's Maricopa County and Phoenix to help them come into compliance with the Clean Air Act for ground-level ozone pollution and to address several air quality issues.
In a statement to Newsday, Kelly said of Zeldin: “He has committed to working with me and Arizonans on the unique air and water quality challenges we face.”
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), the committee’s ranking Democrat, said Zeldin is unfit for the job of leading the EPA and will carry out President Donald Trump’s pro-oil agenda.
"The Trump agenda, after receiving immense funding from fossil fuel, is to break down climate change protections so that his big oil donors can sell more oil and gas and pollute for free," Whitehouse said.
He pointed to "a raft of anti-environmental executive orders" that Trump issued Monday.
They include orders to revisit pollution-limiting rules, to halt offshore and onshore wind projects, to reverse energy efficiency standards for household appliances and to revisit whether greenhouse gases are pollutants under the Clean Air Act.
"I do not see Mr. Zeldin having the independence to lead the agency in a manner that will protect us against these looming dangers. He doesn't even seem to see that they exist. For that reason, I will vote no, and urge a no vote," Whitehouse said.
"The question becomes, is this gentleman capable of standing against that big oil political juggernaut?" Whitehouse said. "Sadly, all signs point to no."

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