‘Let’s get to work,’ Zeldin tells EPA staff

By Kevin Bogardus | 01/30/2025 01:36 PM EST

The administrator’s message comes during a turbulent time for the agency, which has been rocked by the second Trump administration already.

Lee Zeldin testifies during his confirmation hearing.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin at his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on Jan. 16 in Washington. Francis Chung/POLITICO

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin told agency staffers he was committed to protecting the environment as well as the economy and looked forward to working together “to tackle the most-pressing issues facing our country.”

Zeldin sent an agencywide email to staff Thursday morning, his first as the head of EPA. His message comes during a turbulent time for the agency, which has been rocked by President Donald Trump’s moves to shrink the federal workforce and pause government funding in just over a week in office.

Zeldin, who served eight years as a New York Republican lawmaker, touted his record on Capitol Hill in the email obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News.

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“My district, on the eastern end of Long Island, was unique in that it was almost completely surrounded by water,” Zeldin said. “My constituents took environmental issues very seriously, and I developed a record in Congress fighting hard and with great success advancing their local priorities.”

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