U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin spent his first full week in office visiting three key disaster recovery sites to assess ongoing efforts. His itinerary included stops in East Palestine, Ohio; Los Angeles, California; and Western North Carolina.

On February 3, 2025, Administrator Zeldin visited East Palestine with Vice President JD Vance. This visit marked the second anniversary of a train derailment that significantly affected the community. "EPA is working hand-in-hand with President Trump and Vice President Vance to ensure the Ohio residents whose lives were upended have the support they need," according to the EPA's statement. The agency is collaborating with state and local partners to complete soil cleanup by its target date.

The following day, February 4, 2025, Zeldin addressed employees at EPA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., delivering a Welcome Address that attracted more than 10,000 virtual attendees—a record for the agency. Afterward, he engaged with staff members to discuss their priorities and later met with personnel from various offices including International and Tribal Affairs, Research and Development, and Mission Support.

Zeldin's visit on February 6 took him to Los Angeles where he observed the agency's largest wildfire cleanup effort. He toured EPA’s Incident Command Center in Burbank and assessed damage from the Eaton Fire in Altadena and Pacific Palisades.

He concluded his week by traveling to Western North Carolina to meet communities affected by Hurricane Helene. His visits included the Lake Lure Debris site and discussions with residents in Asheville. He also inspected the North Fork Drinking Water Treatment Plant and Marshall Sewage Facility.