NRDC Reaction: Lee Zeldin Tapped to Lead EPA

WASHINGTON - Lee Zeldin was chosen by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Zeldin noted the auto industry, AI, and energy production as his priorities for the role.

Following is reaction from Manish Bapna, president of NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

"We count on the EPA to protect clean air and water and public health and that's what we'll hold the next administrator accountable to do. Current EPA standards and federal incentives are already revitalizing the auto industry in precisely the way the industry sees its own future, with more than 160 electric vehicle projects totaling $82 billion in investment announced in just the past two years.

"Repealing these policies, as Trump has said he'll do, would devastate the industry in a moment of critical transition, threatening jobs, increasing tailpipe pollution that's wrecking the climate and driving up consumer costs.

"Similarly, we can meet demand for data centers without scrapping EPA rules to clean up dirty power plants and cut climate pollution.

"We need EPA leadership that will protect the environment and public health. That's a big enough job without looking outside the agency's charge."

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law, and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health, and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd). Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.