• EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has stated that his agency’s deregulation efforts under the Trump administration aim to balance environmental protection with economic growth. He says they will not harm the environment or the American public.
• The EPA is reversing several Biden-era policies, including measures aimed at promoting electric vehicles, reducing coal use and managing air pollution, which Zeldin claims imposed trillions of dollars in compliance costs on U.S. industries.
• Environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, have voiced opposition to the rollbacks, warning of increased public health risks as a result of these actions.

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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin said Sunday, April 20, that his agency’s ongoing efforts to roll back regulations will not negatively impact the environment. Speaking on CBS News, Zeldin described the EPA’s current approach as an attempt to balance environmental protections with economic considerations.

“We have to both protect the environment and grow the economy,” Zeldin said.

What has the EPA been working to deregulate?

Under the Trump administration, the EPA has been reversing several policies implemented under the Biden administration. These include initiatives aimed at increasing electric vehicle production, phasing out coal use and regulating air pollutants such as soot and mercury.

According to Zeldin, the repealed policies imposed compliance costs amounting to “trillions” of dollars across multiple U.S. industries. He argues that eliminating these regulations would lower those costs, which he said are currently being passed on to consumers.

How are environmental groups responding to these changes?

Environmental advocacy organizations have voiced opposition to the EPA’s rollbacks. The Sierra Club described the deregulation efforts as “deadly,” “dangerous,” and “a wholesale attack on the American people.” The group cited previous estimates from Biden-era officials, who claimed that the regulations could prevent thousands of premature deaths and save tens of billions of dollars in public health costs.

What happens next?

Zeldin maintains the changes will not result in harm to either the environment or public health. He also noted that a formal process for public comments will be available and encouraged Americans to submit feedback on the agency’s policy decisions.