January 29, 2025

DENVER – Today, Western Energy Alliance congratulated Lee Zeldin for his confirmation by the U.S. Senate to become administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The trade group acknowledged his understanding of the balance between preserving the environment and delivering the energy the nation needs for a growing economy.

“Lee Zeldin has stood against regulatory overreach and for jobs, economic prosperity, and the environment while serving in Congress and in his private practice. His quick and bipartisan confirmation means he can walk into the agency today and begin tackling the ambitious agenda laid out in President Trump’s executive orders,” said Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Alliance.

“The regulatory overreach the Alliance is particularly focused on are the four interlocking methane rules the Biden EPA put together in a haphazard, uncoordinated manor. As such, the rules have many technical and legal flaws that must be rectified. We also call attention to the last-minute accelerated ozone designations in Utah meant to tie the hands of the state and the Ute Indian Tribe. We urge EPA under Administrator Zeldin to take up the plight of the Tribe, which relies heavily on oil and natural gas development, and reconsider the actions that violate the spirit and the letter of the Clean Air Act.

“We look forward to working with the new administrator to refocus EPA on real protection of air and water quality, not on ideological notions of justice while ignoring basic protections for all communities. EPA best protects the environment when it works cooperatively with states, not when it wastes effort attempting to exert control over the economy through unrealistic EV mandates and dictating the nation’s power supply. Mr. Zeldin knows how to restore the proper federalism balance with the states, which will result in better environmental protection without squelching economic opportunity,” added Sgamma.

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