On January 29, 2025, Lee Zeldin was sworn in as the 17th Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In his new role, Zeldin will collaborate with career officials at the agency to uphold its mission of protecting human health and the environment.
“It is my honor to serve as the 17th Environmental Protection Agency Administrator. Under President Trump’s leadership, we will take great strides to defend every American’s access to clean air, clean water, and clean land. We will maintain and expand the gold standard of environmental stewardship and conservation that President Trump set forth in his first administration while also prioritizing economic prosperity. I look forward to working with the agency’s talented staff and scientists to deliver results for the American people. It’s time to get to work,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.
Zeldin's background includes a long commitment to public service. He has served in the United States military for 22 years, including a deployment to Iraq in 2006 with the Army's Elite 82nd Airborne Division. He continues his service as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve. Additionally, he served in the New York State Senate from 2011-2014 and represented New York's 1st Congressional District in Congress from 2015-2023.
During his tenure in Congress, Zeldin engaged in bipartisan efforts to preserve natural resources such as Long Island Sound and Plum Island. He supported significant legislation like the Great American Outdoors Act and Save our Seas Act aimed at cleaning up ocean plastics. He also advocated for Sea Grant programs, addressed PFAS contamination in drinking water, voted for chemical safety reforms under the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act, and backed clean energy initiatives on Long Island.
Lee Zeldin became New York State's youngest attorney at age 23. Born and raised in Suffolk County, New York, he resides there with his wife Diana and their twin daughters Mikayla and Arianna.