EPA Press Office:

Trump Administration Takes Action to Lower Cost of Living, Protect Consumer Choice for Household Appliances and Kitchen Faucets

EPA is overhauling WaterSense specifications imposed by the Biden-Harris Administration

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency has taken action to overhaul all Biden-Harris Administration WaterSense specifications. These specifications developed during the Biden-Harris Administration drive up the cost of living for American consumers and lower the quality of household appliances.

“Americans deserve access to the best products in their homes, and appliances like shower heads and lightbulbs that work,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “That’s why I’ve instructed EPA’s WaterSense program to overhaul their specifications that best factor in effectiveness and consumer experience. Together with the Department of Energy and President Trump’s leadership we are working to not only lower costs for American families but improve the quality of household appliances.” 

The Biden-Harris Administration weaponized energy efficiency rules to restrict consumer choice in many home appliances. If we do not act, the last Administration’s actions will make new home appliances more expensive and contribute to a higher cost of living for Americans.

The list of specifications developed during the last Administration have encouraged the sale of bathroom and kitchen faucets, residential toilets, and sprinkler nozzles that just don’t work well.

At the same time, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is also undertaking a process of postponing seven home appliance rules that were finalized under the Biden-Harris Administration, including energy efficiency standards for central air conditioners, clothes washers and dryers, general service lamps, walk-in coolers and freezers, gas instantaneous water heaters, commercial refrigeration equipment, and air compressors. DOE will also establish a new energy efficiency category for instantaneous gas hot water heaters.  

Under the leadership of President Trump, Federal agencies continue to slash unnecessary red tape and regulations that raise the cost of living, reduce consumer choice, and frustrate the American people.

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

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin Meets Region 2 Staff for First Time as Administrator

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, February 13, 2025, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin traveled to New York City to visit the EPA’s Region 2 Headquarters in downtown Manhattan. The Administrator met with Regional Administrator Mike Martucci, and addressed regional staff in person and virtually.

“EPA’s Regional offices across the country are the backbone of our mission to help deliver clean air, water and land to all Americans. I’m grateful for Regional Administrator Martucci and his staff for the warm welcome. Region 2 employees are committed to our cause and are working around the clock. Last week, I met with EPA staff from Regions 4 and 9 and I look forward to meeting more shortly as I embark on this journey,” said Administrator Zeldin. 

“Administrator Zeldin has hit the ground running since taking office, and I was proud to have him here in Region 2’s New York offices today. He has an incredible work ethic, and he brings a new energy and focus on our core mission to deliver clean air, clean land and clean water to the American people,” said Regional Administrator Martucci.

As a member of Congress, Zeldin represented a district in Region 2 and fought for conservation efforts in the region. Last week, he visited three priority disaster sites and met with residents, community leaders, and the EPA employees providing critical work with the response effort. 

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

 EPA Press Office:

Administrator Zeldin Announces that Billions of Dollars Worth of “Gold Bars” Have Been Located at Outside Financial Institution

Calls for Termination of Biden-Harris Financial Agent Agreement and Return of Entire Fund Balance to the U.S. Treasury

WASHINGTON – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency has found billions of taxpayer dollars parked at a financial institution by the Biden-Harris Administration. Administrator Zeldin is calling for termination of the financial agent agreement, and for the immediate return of the entire fund balance to the United States Treasury to ensure EPA oversight. Administrator Zeldin also announced that he will be referring this matter to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and Congress, and the agency will work with the U.S. Department of Justice. 

“Roughly twenty billion of your tax dollars were parked at an outside financial institution by the Biden EPA. This scheme was the first of its kind in EPA history and it was purposefully designed to obligate all of the money in a rush job with reduced oversight,” said Administrator Zeldin.  

“One of my very top priorities at EPA is to be an excellent steward of your hard-earned tax dollars. There will be zero tolerance of any waste and abuse,” continued Administrator Zeldin. “We will review every penny that has gone out the door. The days of irresponsibly shoveling boat loads of cash to far-left, activist groups in the name of environmental justice and climate equity are over.” 

Two months ago, a video circulated on social media featuring a Biden EPA political appointee talking about “tossing gold bars off the titanic,” intentionally rushing to get billions of tax dollars recklessly out of the agency before Inauguration Day. During Administrator Zeldin’s confirmation hearing, he committed to ensuring he would work hard to research and account for every dollar spent at EPA, not only during his tenure, but also from the last administration.

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

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Places 171 DEIA and Environmental Justice Employees on Administrative Leave

WASHINGTON – Over the last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began implementing President Trump’s Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing Executive Order and subsequent implementation memos. As a result, EPA has placed 171 employees in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility and Environmental Justice on administrative leave, 11 and 160, respectively.

 

“Under President Trump, the EPA will be focused on our core mission to protect human health and the environment, while Powering the Great American Comeback. The previous Administration used DEI and Environmental Justice to advance ideological priorities, distributing billions of dollars to organizations in the name of climate equity. This ends now. We will be good stewards of tax dollars and do everything in our power to deliver clean air, land, and water to every American, regardless of race, religion, background, and creed,” said Administrator Lee Zeldin.

 

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 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)

 EPA Press Release:

EPA Announces Appointment of Mike Martucci to Region 2 Administrator

New York, N.Y. (February 6, 2025) - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that President Donald J. Trump has appointed Michael Martucci as the Regional Administrator for EPA Region 2. As Regional Administrator for EPA Region 2, Mike is overseeing the EPA’s work to carry out important priorities of the administration’s environmental agenda and protect the people of the region covering New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and eight federally recognized Indian Nations.

“As a businessman, state senator, and community leader, Mike Martucci has proven he is committed to service,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “In the New York State Senate, he championed legislation aimed at improving our environment and advancing conservation. Mike brings a wealth of private and public sector experience and is exactly who we need leading Region 2. I am excited to have him aboard.”

“I am honored to have been chosen for this role and just a few weeks into my job I am already impressed with the professionalism, thoughtfulness and dedication of the EPA’s regional workforce,” said Regional Administrator Martucci. “I am proud to lead this regional office to meet the important priorities of the Trump Administration, which include balanced environmental protection.”

Mike Martucci is a former NY State Senator, and respected business owner and farmer from the Hudson Valley. During his time in the NY State Senate, Mike was a supporter of New York's Environmental Bond Act and passed legislation related to open space protection and inland waterway designation throughout his district which included portions of Orange, Ulster, and Delaware Counties as well as all of Sullivan County. 

After college, Mike founded a school transportation company which grew from one bus that Mike drove to one of the largest in the country. The company now serves thousands of schoolchildren and their families in the Hudson Valley Region of New York. A family farmer, Mike is a steward of our environment and understands the importance of preserving open space for future generations. 

Mike is a lifelong resident of Orange County. He is a dedicated family man who believes in giving back to his community through volunteerism, teaching and philanthropy. He is a graduate of Marist College where he obtained a Master of Business Administration degree. Mike and his wife Erin are raising their three children in Orange County, NY.

Mike is known as someone who works collaboratively with stakeholders to achieve goals.

Here’s what people are saying about Mike’s presidential appointment:

“Mike Martucci is a dedicated public servant and successful small business owner who understands the real-world impact of government policy,” said Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (NY-02). “I had the privilege of working with Mike in the New York State Legislature, and I know firsthand his commitment to serving our communities and ensuring that common-sense solutions drive public policy. We are incredibly lucky to have him back in public service, and his leadership at the EPA will be a major asset to Region 2. I look forward to working with him again in this new role.”

“I’ve known Mike for years – he deeply loves our Hudson Valley community and is a ‘get stuff done’ type of leader. That’s exactly the mindset we need for this role,” said Congressman Pat Ryan (NY-18). “I look forward to having him as a partner as we fight to ensure every Hudson Valley family has access to clean air, water, and soil.”

“Mike Martucci will make an excellent addition to the EPA as the newly appointed Regional 2 Administrator. During his time in the New York State Senate, Mike proved himself as a dedicated public servant,” said New York State Senate Minority Leader Bob Orrt. “He worked to listen to his constituents and learn the issues in his community and throughout New York State. I am confident he will serve both the EPA and the people of New York well in this new role.”

“Mike Martucci is a tremendous addition to the EPA leadership team, and I expect he will do an exceptional job representing New York State and his entire region,” said Heather Mulligan, President & CEO of The Business Council of NY. “Mike is the right choice as he brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience as a business owner and former state senator who worked on environmental issues critical to business and his constituents.”   

“The Upper Delaware Council is delighted with the choice of Mike Martucci to lead EPA Region 2. As the state senator for our river valley communities, Mike was always responsive and engaged in advocating for impactful support to conserve the special resources of the Delaware River watershed and invest in sustainable economic initiatives. At our award ceremony in 2021, Mike told us that clean air and clean water, and protecting our natural beauty, are not partisan issues, ‘they are human issues’,” said Laurie Ramie, executive director of the Upper Delaware Council, a not-for-profit organization that works in partnership with the National Park Service to cooperatively manage the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River in New York and Pennsylvania.

For more information about Mike, visit EPA’s Region 2 webpage.

Follow EPA Region 2 on X, Instagram, and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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La EPA anuncia el nombramiento de Mike Martucci como administrador de la Región 2

Contactos:

Elías Rodríguez, Supervisor de la Subdivisión de Relaciones con los Medios, 212-637-3664, rodriguez.elias@epa.gov  

Mary Mears, directora de Asuntos Públicos, 212-637-3673, mears.mary@epa.gov

Nueva York, N.Y. (6 de febrero de 2025) - Hoy, el administrador de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de EE. UU., Lee Zeldin, anunció que el presidente Donald J. Trump ha nombrado a Michael Martucci como administrador regional de la Región 2 de la EPA. Como administrador regional de la Región 2 de la EPA, Martucci supervisa el trabajo de la EPA para llevar a cabo las prioridades más importantes de la agenda ambiental de la administración y proteger a las personas de la región que abarca Nueva Jersey, Nueva York, Puerto Rico, las Islas Vírgenes de EE. UU. y ocho naciones indígenas reconocidas por el gobierno federal.

“Como empresario, senador estatal y líder comunitario, Mike Martucci ha demostrado que está comprometido con el servicio”, indicó el administrador de la EPA, Lee Zeldin. “En el Senado del Estado de Nueva York, defendió la legislación destinada a mejorar nuestro medioambiente y promover la conservación. Mike aporta una gran experiencia en el sector público y privado y es exactamente a quien necesitamos para liderar la Región 2. Estoy entusiasmado de tenerlo a bordo.”

“Me siento honrado de haber sido elegido para este cargo y a solo unas semanas de haber asumido el cargo, ya estoy impresionado con el profesionalismo, la consideración y la dedicación del personal regional de la EPA”, comentó el administrador regional Martucci. “Estoy orgulloso de dirigir esta oficina regional y cumplir con las prioridades importantes de la Administración Trump, que incluyen la protección ambiental equilibrada.”

Mike Martucci es un ex senador del estado de Nueva York y respetado empresario y agricultor del Valle del Hudson. Durante su desempeño en el Senado del Estado de Nueva York, Martucci apoyó la Ley de Bonos Ambientales de Nueva York y aprobó legislación relacionada con la protección de espacios abiertos y la designación de vías fluviales interiores en todo su distrito, que incluía partes de los condados de Orange, Ulster y Delaware, así como todo el condado de Sullivan. 

Después de la universidad, Martucci fundó una empresa de transporte escolar que pasó de ser un solo autobús que el mismo conducía a convertirse en una de las empresas más grandes del país. La compañía ahora atiende a miles de niños en edad escolar y sus familias en la región del Valle del Hudson de Nueva York. Mike Martucci, es tambien un agricultor con tradicion familiar y custodio de nuestro medioambiente, por eso comprende la importancia de preservar los espacios abiertos para las generaciones futuras. 

Martucci ha vivido toda su vida en el condado de Orange. Es un hombre dedicado a su familia que cree en retribuir a su comunidad a través del voluntariado, la enseñanza y la filantropía. Se graduó del Marist College, donde obtuvo una Maestría en Administración de Empresas. Junto a su esposa Erin crían a sus tres hijos en el condado de Orange, Nueva York.

Martucci es conocido como alguien que trabaja en colaboración con las partes interesadas para lograr objetivos comunes.

Esto es lo que la gente comenta sobre el nombramiento presidencial de Mike:

“Mike Martucci es un servidor público dedicado y propietario de una pequeña empresa exitosa que comprende el impacto en el mundo real que tiene la política gubernamental”, señaló el congresista Andrew R. Garbarino (NY-02). “Tuve el privilegio de trabajar con Mike en la Legislatura del Estado de Nueva York, y conozco de primera mano su compromiso de servir a nuestras comunidades y garantizar que las soluciones con sentido común impulsen las políticas públicas. Somos increíblemente afortunados de tenerlo de regreso en el servicio público, y su liderazgo en la EPA será un activo importante para la Región 2. Estoy deseando volver a trabajar con él en este nuevo puesto.”

“Conozco a Mike desde hace años, ama profundamente a nuestra comunidad del Valle del Hudson y es un líder del tipo que logra 'hacer las cosas'. Esa es exactamente la mentalidad que necesitamos para este papel”, indicó el congresista Pat Ryan (NY-18). “Espero trabajar junto con él en la lucha para garantizar que todas las familias del Valle del Hudson tengan acceso a aire, agua y suelos limpios.”

“Mike Martucci será una excelente adición a la EPA como recién nombrado administrador regional 2. Durante su desempeño en el Senado del Estado de Nueva York, Mike demostró ser un servidor público dedicado”, observó el líder de la minoría del Senado del Estado de Nueva York, Bob Orrt. “Trabajó para escuchar a sus electores y conocer los problemas de su comunidad y de todo el estado de Nueva York. Estoy seguro de que servirá bien tanto a la EPA como a la gente de Nueva York en este nuevo cargo.”

“Mike Martucci es una excelente adición al equipo de liderazgo de la EPA, y espero que haga un trabajo excepcional representando al estado de Nueva York y a toda su región”, señaló Heather Mulligan, presidente y CEO de The Business Council of NY. “Mike es la elección correcta, ya que trae consigo una gran cantidad de conocimientos y experiencia como empresario y ex senador estatal que trabajó en temas ambientales críticos para las empresas y sus electores.”   

“El Consejo del Alto Delaware está encantado con la elección de Mike Martucci para dirigir la Región 2 de la EPA. Como senador estatal para nuestras comunidades del valle del río, Mike siempre fue receptivo y se comprometió a abogar por un apoyo impactante para conservar los recursos especiales de la cuenca del río Delaware e invertir en iniciativas económicas sostenibles. En nuestra ceremonia de premiación en 2021, Mike nos dijo que el aire limpio y el agua limpia, y la protección de nuestra belleza natural, no son cuestiones partidistas, 'son cuestiones humanas'“, añadió Laurie Ramie, directora ejecutiva del Consejo del Alto Delaware, una organización sin fines de lucro que trabaja en asociación con el Servicio de Parques Nacionales para administrar de manera cooperativa el río escénico y recreativo del Alto Delaware en Nueva York y Pensilvania.

Para ver más detalles sobre Mike Martucci, visite la página web de la Región 2 de la EPA.

Siga a la Región 2 de la EPA en X, Instagram, y visite nuestra página en Facebook. Para obtener más información sobre la Región 2 de la EPA, visite nuestro sitio web.

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For further information: Contacts: Elias Rodriguez, Media Relations Branch Supervisor, 212-637-3664, rodriguez.elias@epa.gov Mary Mears, Public Affairs Director, 212-637-3673, mears.mary@epa.gov

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Launches Largest Wildfire Hazardous Material Removal Effort in Agency History

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently undergoing the largest wildfire hazardous waste cleanup in the history of the agency as it assists local governments and residents in the wake of catastrophic fires in Los Angeles County. EPA has completed reconnaissance at 6,022 properties. This includes 3,636 properties impacted by the Eaton Fire and 2,386 properties impacted by the Palisades Fire. The agency has successfully removed 80 electric vehicles and bulk energy storage systems, which are extremely dangerous to the public and the environment and will continue ramping up such operations.

 

Currently there are 1,050 response personnel in the field, up from 478 at the end of last week and with an additional 280 mobilizing today. EPA is assembling 60 teams to clear hazardous materials from the more than 13,000 residential and 250 commercial fire-impacted properties. EPA has convened a working group to coordinate with utilities, state, local and federal stakeholders to expedite cleanup operations and meet unmet needs in the sector. At the request of water utilities, EPA is also providing technical assistance to help bring systems back online.

 

“EPA is undertaking the largest wildfire cleanup in the history of the agency. We’re not going to wait days or weeks or months to ramp up. We have over a thousand personnel on the ground to aid Californians, and our local, state, and federal partners, in Los Angeles’s recovery. The Trump administration is tackling this head on in a way that EPA couldn’t possibly be prouder to be a part of,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

 

EPA has been assigned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with the first stage of the overall recovery and cleanup: the project to remove lithium-ion batteries and to survey, remove, and dispose of hazardous materials from properties burned by wildfires. Residents returning home are encouraged to exercise extreme caution and can call our hotline at 1-833-798-7372 if they encounter a lithium-ion battery while re-entering their property and/or are unsure if a lithium-ion battery was damaged.

 

On Jan. 24, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order Emergency Measures to Provide Water Resources in California and Improve Disaster Response in Certain Areas. This directs EPA to complete its hazardous materials mission responding to the Los Angeles wildfires as soon as practical. EPA’s work removing hazardous materials is Phase 1 of the federal cleanup response. This work, conducted at no cost to residents, is a mandatory process to ensure the safety of residents and the workers who will — after the hazardous material is gone — conduct the Phase 2 debris removal in the burn footprints, and to prevent these materials from being released into the environment. Phase 2 will be conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as coordinated by FEMA. Once Phase 1 has been completed at a property, Phase 2 will begin automatically.

 

EPA will remove potentially dangerous everyday products including household products like paints, cleaning supplies, and automotive oils, garden products such as herbicides and pesticides, batteries, including both standard and rechargeable types, and propane tanks and other pressurized gas containers. They will remove visible asbestos and inspect pressurized fuel cylinders (like propane tanks). After a fire, these products require special handling, especially if their containers are damaged. EPA field teams will also remove items thought to have asbestos if they are easy to identify, but the property will not be fully cleared until Phase 2 (debris removal).

EPA will also remove lithium-ion batteries from vehicles, homes and other products. Many homes have damaged or destroyed lithium-ion batteries, lithium-ion battery energy storage systems, and electric and hybrid vehicles. The batteries should be considered extremely dangerous, even if they look intact. Lithium-ion batteries can spontaneously re-ignite, explode, and emit toxic gases and particulates even after the fire is out.

At the direction of President Trump, EPA is partnering with the U.S. military and Department of Homeland Security to develop and execute a plan to expedite the removal of contaminated and general debris.

If residents are on their property when EPA arrives for the hazardous materials removal, the crew will not be able to conduct work at that property and will return at a later time. EPA will remove only hazardous materials, by hand, and will not remove any non-hazardous materials. If crews find objects of value, EPA will contact local law enforcement to track and remove the objects for safekeeping.

EPA has secured temporary storage, or staging, locations for materials from each fire site. Removed hazardous waste materials are brought into these staging areas daily, processed into appropriate waste streams, and packaged and sealed for shipment and proper disposal.

This guidance has been previously shared with impacted communities.

• Guidance on Phase 1: Hazardous Material Removal.
• Guidance on Lithium-ion Batteries.

The public can find more information about EPA’s hazardous material removal operations at EPA’s 2025 California Wildfires website. This website will be continuously updated as EPA's work moves forward.

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