President Trump is staffing the EPA with former oil and chemical industry lobbyists and lawyers, many of whom are returning from his first administration to dismantle climate and pollution regulations.
Lisa Friedman, Hiroko Tabuchi and Coral Davenport report for The New York Times.
In short:
- Lee Zeldin, the nominee for EPA chief, has appointed several deputies, including lobbyists and lawyers tied to fossil fuel and chemical industries, ahead of his Senate confirmation.
- Key appointees like David Fotouhi, Alex Dominguez and Nancy Beck have records of opposing pollution controls, asbestos bans and chemical safety regulations.
- The Trump administration’s second-term EPA team is seen as more experienced in reversing regulations than during his first term.
Key quote:
“It’s alarming to see former industry lobbyists and attorneys who, until recently, were paid by their clients to weaken pollution standards, nominated to high-ranking positions at E.P.A. where they will have the power to undermine regulations meant to protect the public from these same industries.”
— Jen Duggan, executive director, Environmental Integrity Project
Why this matters:
Placing industry lobbyists in positions of power within regulatory agencies could lead to weakened protections against pollution and toxins, potentially increasing risks to public health and the environment. Critics worry these moves prioritize corporate interests over environmental and human safety.
Related EHN coverage: Op-ed: We mobilized to defend the EPA in Trump's first term. This time the stakes are even higher.
