Washington, D.C.- In response to President Trump and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin’s plan to cut the EPA by 65%, the League of Conservation Voters released the following statement from former EPA scientist and Vice President of Federal Policy, Matthew Davis: 

“At a time when people are increasingly concerned about health and exposure to toxic pollution, cutting the EPA makes no sense. The workers at EPA protect communities in every corner of this country – ensuring that our air is safe to breathe, our water is safe to drink, and our rivers, lakes and coastlines are safe to enjoy. Poll after poll show that people want more, not less, protections and more accountability for polluters. Cutting two-thirds of our country’s front line of environmental protection would mean no inspections or enforcement on air and water polluters, no cleanups of toxic waste or lead and PFAS in our drinking water, no clean electric buses to bring our children safely to school, no expert response and cleanup when there is a train derailment or factory explosion that threatens peoples lives and properties. 

“Meanwhile, Administrator Lee Zeldin and his fossil fuel industry colleagues in Trump’s billionaire cabinet are trying to say that the pollution that causes climate change does not endanger public health and welfare. Try to say that with a straight face to the communities of Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee still trying to rebuild from last fall’s climate-change supercharged hurricanes, or the communities of LA sifting through the rubble of wildfire-leveled neighborhoods, or the Midwestern farmer barely hanging on because of flooding, drought, or extreme thunderstorms and tornadoes. Those communities won’t stand for it, and neither will we.

“Both of these actions reek of corruption –  Trump and unelected Musk are delivering Project 2025’s plan for their oil and gas executive friends–giving them free rein to do what they please, all at the expense of everyday families’ budgets, health, communities, and environment.”

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