EPA Press Office:

Week in Review: Administrator Zeldin Visits Three Priority Disaster Recovery Sites in First Full Week on the Job

WASHINGTON – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin’s first full week on the job included visits to three priority disaster sites for the agency to survey recovery efforts: East Palestine (OH), Los Angeles (CA), and Western North Carolina. 

On Monday, February 3, 2025, Administrator Zeldin traveled with Vice President JD Vance to East Palestine, Ohio, to mark the two-year anniversary of the train derailment. EPA is working hand-in-hand with President Trump and Vice President Vance to ensure the Ohio residents whose lives were upended have the support they need. EPA is working on a daily basis with state and local partners to make sure the soil cleanup is completed by its target date.

On Tuesday, February 4, 2025, Administrator Zeldin delivered his Welcome Address to employees at EPA Headquarters in Washington, DC. In addition to staff who attended in-person, there were a record number of virtual attendees, more than 10,000, the highest in agency history. After the speech, he spent more than an hour talking with employees to discuss their top priorities.

Following his welcome address, Administrator Zeldin met with staff at the Office of International and Tribal Affairs, Office of Research and Development, and Office of Mission Support. 

On Thursday, February 6, 2025, the Administrator was in Los Angeles, California, as EPA embarks on the largest wildfire cleanup in agency history. He visited EPA’s Incident Command Center in Burbank, toured damaged homes and met with residents in Altadena impacted by the Eaton Fire, and surveyed damage in the Pacific Palisades. 

The Administrator concluded his week in Western North Carolina to visit communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. He visited the Lake Lure Debris site and met with residents impacted by damage in Asheville. He then toured the North Fork Drinking Water Treatment Plant and Marshall Sewage Facility.

To view photos, please visit the EPA newsroom.

For further information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)