No need to worry about industrial pollution or those pesky forever chemicals in our water supply, because, according to the EPA administrator, Lee Zeldin, we aren’t facing a climate crisis. In fact, that’s just more of that “radical” climate rhetoric coming from “radical” climate scientists.
For the past year, Zeldin has been gearing up to follow through on his promise to slash the agency’s 2026 budget by $300 million, reduce staff, eliminate the “radical climate research” arm he calls the Office of Research and Development, and revoke regulations against greenhouse gas polluters. He has also initiated “nearly 70 actions to undo rules protecting ecosystems and the climate,” according to The Guardian. This week, Zeldin appeared before the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Democrats to defend his gutting of the agency, arguing that the EPA will be more efficient with less money.
“This budget proposal captures significant efficiencies and a return focus on what Congress has directed us to do, demonstrating our commitment to a leaner, more efficient, and accountable EPA,” Zeldin told senators on Wednesday. So no concern at all for the environment—Got it. Efficiency good!
Per The Guardian, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said Zeldin had “executed the fossil fuel industry’s agenda.” Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) said Zeldin’s proposal “reads like a climate change denier’s manifesto,” but Zeldin is sticking to the script that Americans are actually happy about restricting the EPA’s abilities.
LANDSMAN: With healthcare cuts and more pollution, people are worried about their health
ZELDIN: Actually, the feedback I get is that people are happy
LANDSMAN: Where is this ‘feedback’ coming from? People run up to you saying, ‘Thank you so much for cutting the EPA, for cutting our healthcare’?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) April 28, 2026 at 12:42 PM
In the midst of pharmacuteial giant Bayer’s Supreme Court case over obscuring the harmfulness of the chemical glyphosate in its weed-killing product Roundup, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) presented the committee with emails between Zeldin’ staff and Bayer’s CEO, in which the company promised “a small thanks for updating the glyphosate webpage from the EPA and work on MAHA,” exposing Zeldin’s conflict of interest with Bayer over hiding cancer risks.
“So we have internal emails from your agency saying that Bayer wanted to thank you and your agency for removing support for California’s warning,” said AOC, “because their case before the Supreme Court right now hinges on you not warning the American people.”
AOC reads to Zeldin internal emails she obtained from the EPA about a meeting he had with the Bayer CEO on glyphosate, and asks him, “Do you understand the conflict of interest that is before the American people right now?”
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) April 28, 2026 at 12:56 PM
What amount of money will it take for people like Zeldin to finally be satisfied in their pursuit to make life easier for our biggest polluters?
