EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin on Fiscal Year 2026 Budget and Environmental Policy

EPA's Mission and 'The Great American Comeback'

• 🎯 The EPA is focused on delivering clean air, land, and water for all Americans, while restoring common sense and cooperative federalism to environmental policy.
• ⚡ The agency aims to protect human health and the environment, powering 'the great American comeback' by removing unnecessary burdens on families and businesses.

Key Accomplishments and Initiatives

• 🚀 The EPA completed the largest wildfire cleanup in agency history within 30 days after the Los Angeles wildfires.
• 💧 Significant progress has been made on combating PFAS contamination and redeveloping Super Fund sites, with four sites delisted from the national priorities list.
• 🗺️ 25 state implementation plans were completed, many of which were backlogged from the previous administration.
• 🌊 The definition of waters of the United States is being revised to align with the Supreme Court's Sackett decision, and immediate actions are being taken to address the Tijuana River sewage crisis.
• ☢️ Cleanup timelines have been accelerated at the West Lake Super Fund site, contaminated by nuclear waste from the Manhattan Project.

Regulatory Reforms and Budget Priorities

• 💡 The administration is working to unleash American energy, pursue permitting reform, make America the AI capital, and bring back American auto jobs.
• 📉 Waste and abuse have been eliminated, and overreaching rules, including those related to power plants and EVs, are being reconsidered to reduce regulatory costs and ensure grid reliability.
• 💰 The proposed fiscal year 2026 budget emphasizes maximum efficiency for the EPA, with increased funding for responding to drinking water disasters and for tribal drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
• ♻️ The EPA is committed to delivering real results with greater accountability and a stronger environmental return on investment.