EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin Addresses Climate-Denying Thinktank in Washington DC
Lee Zeldin, the administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), delivered a keynote speech at a conference hosted by the Heartland Institute, a prominent climate-denying thinktank, in Washington DC last Wednesday. The event has ignited widespread criticism from climate experts and environmental organizations.
Zeldin Defends EPA's Direction Amid Controversy
In his address, Zeldin asserted that the EPA would no longer rely on what he termed "bad, flawed assumptions" in climate science, instead prioritizing "accurate, present-day facts." He mocked media portrayals of him as controversial for not adhering to climate warnings from figures like John Kerry, Al Gore, or Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. "It's controversial that we won't sign up for the script that the world is imminently about to end," Zeldin stated, deriding previous administrations for heeding scientists' concerns about greenhouse gas emissions.
Zeldin emphasized that his actions align with pledges made during his confirmation hearing and reflect the will of the American public in re-electing Donald Trump. He highlighted the repeal of the "endangerment finding," a legal basis for US climate regulations, which was met with cheers at the conference. Anthony Watts, a senior fellow at the Heartland Institute, praised the move, claiming carbon dioxide is "not a pollutant and never was."
Backlash from Environmental and Health Groups
Prior to the speech, more than 160 environmental and public health organizations called for Zeldin's resignation or dismissal, accusing him of betraying the EPA's core mission. Joanna Slaney, a vice-president of the Environmental Defense Fund, criticized his participation, stating, "Lee Zeldin is executing on the playbook of denial written by the Heartland Institute." The group displayed posters around the venue condemning climate denial as detrimental to Americans' lives.
The Heartland Institute, which has accepted funding from Shell, ExxonMobil, and Republican mega-donors like the Mercers, rejects the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change. It has promoted climate doubt since the early 2000s and contributed to Project 2025, a far-right policy blueprint for a potential second Trump administration.
Conference Features Controversial Reports and Debunked Myths
The event included panels with authors of a contentious Department of Energy report supporting the endangerment finding repeal, which climate scientists dismissed as making a "mockery of science." Ross McKitrick, an author, claimed environmental improvements have occurred despite warnings, while Judith Curry criticized the "monolithic consensus" on climate science.
Heartland Institute president James Taylor opened the conference by invoking the debunked myth that increased carbon emissions benefit plants, asserting, "The truth is clear: there is no climate crisis." Experts, however, agree that greenhouse gases are driving dangerous temperature rises and extreme weather, necessitating a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels.
EPA's Regulatory Rollbacks Under Scrutiny
Under Zeldin's leadership, the EPA has exempted polluting facilities from regulations, closed climate research offices, and reduced its workforce, rolling back dozens of environmental protections. Donald Trump has repeatedly dismissed the climate crisis as a "hoax," aligning with Zeldin's approach. Craig Rucker, president of CFACT, introduced Zeldin as a "friend of sound science [and] climate realism."
As the conference concluded, Zeldin expressed admiration for the Heartland Institute's advocacy, reinforcing the ongoing political divide over climate policy in the United States.
