Pressure Mounts on EPA Chief as 160+ Groups Demand Zeldin’s Removal

More than 160 environmental and public health organizations have called for the resignation or dismissal of Lee Zeldin, accusing the head of the Environmental Protection Agency of undermining the agency’s core mission to protect human health and the environment.

In a sharply worded open letter coordinated by Climate Action Campaign and Moms Clean Air Force, the coalition alleged that Zeldin has overseen a sweeping rollback of environmental safeguards, including policies related to air quality, water protection, and climate action. The signatories-ranging from Sierra Club and Earthjustice to Public Citizen-argue that these actions prioritize corporate interests over public health.

Critics claim the EPA under Zeldin has cut funding, reduced staffing, and weakened regulatory oversight, potentially causing long-term damage to environmental governance. Gretchen Goldman warned that the agency is failing to address the climate crisis and toxic pollution with credible, science-based policies.

The backlash follows mounting dissent from within the EPA itself. Earlier this year, current and former staff signed a “Declaration of Dissent” criticizing leadership decisions affecting scientific integrity and workforce morale. Some employees reportedly faced disciplinary action, though investigations found no ethics violations.

The controversy also intersects with broader political tensions. Zeldin’s leadership has been supported by the Trump administration, which maintains that regulatory rollbacks are necessary to boost industry while still safeguarding the environment. The EPA has stated it will not tolerate internal resistance that undermines its agenda.

As scrutiny intensifies, Zeldin is set to speak at an upcoming climate conference hosted by the Heartland Institute, a group known for challenging mainstream climate science-further fueling debate over the agency’s direction under his leadership.

EPA leadership disputes affect regulatory predictability, and that uncertainty gets priced into insurance, financing and corporate risk-management planning almost immediately. Our sustainability-due-diligence teams help US clients build compliance strategies that stay robust across regulatory volatility.