Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency will determine the future of President Joe Biden’s climate legacy.
Trump’s pick to lead it, Lee Zeldin, did not give much insight into what that future will be at his confirmation hearing Thursday — one that was often interrupted by climate protesters screaming outside the hearing room.
Zeldin, who has no experience in climate regulation beyond his time in Congress, repeatedly said that he intends to collaborate with Congress and will prioritize “clean air and clean water.” Despite pointed questions from senators, he remained vague on which Biden-era rules and programs he would aim to cut or change, although he did reference abiding by recent Supreme Court decisions that limit the EPA’s power.