What has happened to the Lee Zeldin we once knew?

It is said that time changes people, and so does power. Perhaps that explains the metamorphosis of Lee Zeldin as EPA administrator. Based on his work and dedication to protecting Long Island as a congressman, I hoped he would be a voice of reason and moderation to help fight climate change and protect our air, water and land resources. Recent announcements of unprecedented rollbacks to major environmental regulations have caused that hope to die.

Rep. Zeldin stood against drilling off the East Coast. He was a member of the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus and supported research on climate change. He advocated for the EPA to set drinking water standards for PFAS and fought to fund and protect Long Island Sound, Peconic Estuary and Plum Island.

In a video interview while running for reelection in 2018, Zeldin stated, “When the election is over, we all need to just work together to try to find common ground however possible, to move our local environment, national environment and our economy forward.”

What happened to that Zeldin? Who is this new Zeldin who stated he is “driving a dagger through the heart of climate religion”? Doesn’t he know this same dagger is also going into the heart of coastal communities across America, including his hometown? This new Zeldin no longer wants to consider the costs of climate change including torrential rainstorms, tornadoes, droughts, wildfires, more intense hurricanes, and rising sea levels.

Zeldin’s effort to eliminate the endangerment finding, which found that greenhouse gas emissions are warming the planet and causing a public health threat, would be catastrophic to America’s security and future. When did Earth become the enemy?

New Zeldin wants to flip-flop the mission of the EPA from protecting human health and the environment to “lowering the cost of buying a car, heating a home and running a business.” Old Zeldin would understand we can do all of that and still protect our air, water and land resources. Pitting environmental protection against economic success is a debunked myth from the 1980s. Today, we know a clean environment helps local businesses and our economy thrive. Old Zeldin would know that without strong environmental protection, our families face increased medical costs from cancer, learning disorders, asthma, neurological disorders and more. Polluting our water and air ought not be the key to an industry’s financial success.

America did not vote for toxic drinking water, polluted beaches and dirty air. The EPA is pivotal in achieving critical public health protection by establishing drinking water standards, cleaning up toxic waste sites, restoring estuaries, fighting climate change, and enforcing clean air regulations. We cannot take clean water, healthy air and safe beaches for granted. Zeldin’s support for a 65% EPA cut would reverse progress, risk public health and immensely hurt our economy.

The EPA enforces monumental environmental laws like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and Superfund Act. It holds polluters accountable. Enforcement of these laws saves hundreds of thousands of lives each year.

Taking a wrecking ball to EPA regulations and advancing a 65% cut in funding is a nod to industry to pollute without accountability. Protecting our water, air, land and health is not a political ideology but rather an essential role of government. Let’s not go back to a time when rivers caught on fire, skies were clouded with toxic smog, and polluted beaches were closed to the public. We deserve better; we need better.