Senate confirms Lee Zeldin as EPA Administrator

The Senate confirmed Lee Zeldin as the new administrator to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The New York native got 56 votes in favor and 42 against, with three Democrats joining all Republicans in voting yes.

"CONFIRMED! Thank You to the 56 Senators for your vote and confidence. Grateful to President Trump for having the faith in me to be part of his Cabinet as EPA Administrator. Make America Great Again!" celebrated Zeldin on his X account.

John Fetterman (D-PA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ)and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) were the Democrats who endorsed the Republican's nomination for EPA.

"Zeldin´s confirmation as EPA Administrator highlights President Trump's commitment to energy dominance, revitalizing the auto industry, and protecting access to clean air and water," the White House posted on social media. 

Zeldin, now 44, spent eight years as a member of the House of Representatives for New York's 1st District. In 2022, he was the Republican nominee for governor of the state, finishing surprisingly close to Democrat Kathy Hochul in the general election, just eight points behind. Indeed, he garnered the highest percentage of votes for a Republican in twenty years and the highest number of votes for a GOP candidate since Nelson Rockefeller in 1970.

After the aforementioned elections, he was rumored as one of the best positioned candidates to lead the Republican National Committee (RNC), an option he eventually ruled out.

From 2017 onward, he was one of the closest congressmen to Trump. He even fervently defended him during his first impeachment hearings in 2020.

What does the EPA do?

According to its own website, the agency is responsible for "the protection of human health and the environment. EPA: Provides technical assistance to support recovery planning of public health and infrastructure, such as waste water treatment plants.”

In turn, the site has a listing of the agency's direct responsibilities: