Data centers, permitting reform and nuclear energy were on the menu Wednesday afternoon as EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin lunched with congressional Republicans in the Capitol basement.
The House’s Republican Study Committee, a 190-member group advancing conservative policy priorities, hosted Zeldin, a former House member, for a conversation that focused on energy demand and deregulation, according to four people who attended the meeting.
Also in attendance was Ruth Porat, president of Alphabet, the parent company of Google. The company is investing billions of dollars on data center needs and lobbying Congress on overhauling the federal permitting process as it expands its artificial intelligence products.
The meeting comes one day after the Republican Study Committee released dozens of policy recommendations for Republicans’ potential second attempt at budget reconciliation. They include numerous proposals on permitting reform, rolling back Biden-era regulations and killing energy efficiency standards.
Asked about Zeldin’s message to the Republican Study Committee, Chair August Pfluger (R-Texas) said, “They’re deregulating; they’re getting projects approved.”
“When you talk about AI, just as one example, we need to move at the speed of commerce, not at the speed of government,” Pfluger said.
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), who has introduced amendments to spending legislation this week to roll back energy efficiency standards, said Zeldin advocated for more “baseload power” to feed rising energy demand.
Zeldin told lawmakers that “there’s a place for all sources of energy as we go forward, but at the end of the day, you need sustainable, constant energy, and that’s going to be coal, it’s gonna be oil and gas, and it’s gonna be nuclear,” Ogles said, paraphrasing.
Attendees said Zeldin also asked the group to continue to support EPA’s efforts to slash regulations.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) noted that in many cases, EPA has been repealing regulations and advancing Trump administration priorities on water, chemicals and emissions without Congress getting involved.
“He’s doing a whole lot just by himself,” Burchett said of Zeldin. “Again, I don’t think anybody’s waiting on Congress. I think that’s why Trump does executive orders.”
An EPA spokesperson said in a statement that the discussion “revolved around possibilities to deregulate the American economy and ultimately put money back in the pockets of American families while protecting our environment.”
“Talks today ranged from key aspects of the Clean Air Act to the Clean Water Act, including challenges and opportunities where EPA can streamline federal permitting processes, consistent with Administrator Zeldin’s Powering the Great American Comeback initiative,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
