Trump taps new EPA acting boss

By Kevin Bogardus | 01/21/2025 01:56 PM EST

James Payne is a senior career attorney who has been with the agency since 2016.

James Payne.

President Donald Trump announced that James Payne would lead EPA on an acting basis. Francis Chung/POLITICO; LinkedIn

President Donald Trump has switched in his own choice to lead EPA on an acting basis, rather than stick with former President Joe Biden’s plan.

On Monday, Trump named James Payne as EPA’s acting administrator along with other officials taking charge of agencies and departments across the federal government. Payne will head up EPA until former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), Trump’s nominee for administrator, is confirmed.

Payne is a career lawyer who has been with EPA since 2016, according to his LinkedIn profile. He is a deputy general counsel and also serves as the designated agency ethics official.

Advertisement

Payne has served elsewhere at EPA, including as regional counsel in Region 6 and acting deputy regional administrator in Region 5. The Dartmouth College and Ohio State University law school graduate has also worked in state government, including at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, as well as at the Department of Justice’s environment division and the U.S. patent office.

GET FULL ACCESS