<p><strong>By MATTHEW DALY, Associated Press</strong></p><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-controlled Senate on Wednesday confirmed Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, a key role to help President Donald Trump fulfill his pledge to roll back major environmental regulations, including those aimed at slowing climate change and encouraging use of electric vehicles.</p><p>The vote was 56-42 in Zeldin's favor.</p><p>Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from New York, is a longtime Trump ally and served on Trump’s defense team during his first impeachment. He voted against certifying Trump’s 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden.</p><p>Zeldin, 44, said during <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-lee-zeldin-epa-climate-change-8217e01138370fb425e95f93d350a04b">his confirmation hearing</a> that he has a moral responsibility to be a good steward of the environment and pledged to support career staff who have dedicated themselves to the agency's mission to protect human health and the environment.</p><p>

<img class="size-article_inline lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_73936_c508c9.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="498px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_73936_c508c9.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_73936_c508c9.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_73936_c508c9.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_73936_c508c9.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_73936_c508c9.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Lee Zeldin" width="8640" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_73936_c508c9.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="1758315" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_73936_c508c9.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_73936_c508c9.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_73936_c508c9.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_73936_c508c9.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_73936_c508c9.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /> Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, appears before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

<img class="size-article_inline lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_72259_6a8c55.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="498px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_72259_6a8c55.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_72259_6a8c55.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_72259_6a8c55.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_72259_6a8c55.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_72259_6a8c55.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Lee Zeldin" width="5225" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_72259_6a8c55.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="1758316" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_72259_6a8c55.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_72259_6a8c55.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_72259_6a8c55.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_72259_6a8c55.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_72259_6a8c55.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /> Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, appears before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

<img class="size-article_inline lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_77025_762f12.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="498px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_77025_762f12.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_77025_762f12.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_77025_762f12.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_77025_762f12.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_77025_762f12.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Lee Zeldin" width="5502" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_77025_762f12.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="1758317" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_77025_762f12.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_77025_762f12.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_77025_762f12.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_77025_762f12.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/sharingdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trump_Cabinet_Zeldin_77025_762f12.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /> Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, appears before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Originally Published: January 29, 2025 at 4:33 PM EST