Lee Zeldin's confirmation hearing for EPA administrator gets mixed response from Long Island environmentalists
NEW YORK -- Ex-New York congressman Lee Zeldin got mixed reviews from Long Island environmentalists after his Senate confirmation hearing to become President-elect Donald Trump's Environmental Protection Agency administrator.
Zeldin, who served four terms in Congress before an unsuccessful campaign for governor of the Empire State, appeared Thursday on Capitol Hill and promised to uphold the EPA's mission to protect clean air and water.
Zeldin grilled on climate science, donations from fossil fuel companies
At the hearing, Democratic senators grilled Zeldin, a Suffolk County native, on his knowledge of climate science.
"What effect are carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion having in the atmosphere?" Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse asked.
"Senator, while I am someone who believes strongly that we should work with the scientists, leaving the science to the scientists, the policy to the policymakers, and that we all work together," Zeldin replied.
Whitehouse also asked Zeldin about $270,000 he received in donations from fossil fuel companies.
"There is no dollar, large or small, that can influence the decisions that I make," Zeldin said.
"Well good luck standing up to these guys because they're gonna come at you," Whitehouse said.
Zeldin doesn't say climate change is a core EPA responsibility
"We must ensure we are protecting the environment while also protecting our economy," Zeldin told the Senate committee.
Zeldin stopped short of mentioning climate change as one of the EPA's main responsibilities when senators cited the hottest year on record, unprecedented fires and floods, and asked Zeldin if he thinks it's a hoax.
"I believe that climate change is real, as I told you. As far as President Trump goes, the context that I've heard him speak about it was with a criticism of policies," Zeldin said.
"There was definitely some tiptoeing around some of the answers"
Zeldin's hearing was watched closely by environmental leaders in his hometown.
"There was definitely some tiptoeing around some of the answers regarding the climate crisis," said Adrienne Esposito, with Citizen Campaign for the Environment. "His answers, particularly on PFAS and plastic pollution, are encouraging."
"I do not think he will protect the EPA or our environment against President Trump," said Ashley Hunt-Martorano, a Suffolk County environmental activist.
Zeldin said he thinks the public is hungry for bipartisan solutions and cited his work on Long Island.