EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin: Protecting America’s Workers and the Environment

Labor Day isn’t just a long weekend—it’s a reminder of the grit and sacrifice of America’s workers, from moms and dads providing for their families to first responders and tradesmen building our communities. This year, it’s also a chance to reflect on how President Trump’s vision is reshaping the balance between protecting our environment and protecting American jobs.

The Biden years left us with a familiar story: bloated bureaucracies, endless red tape, and burdens on hardworking taxpayers. But in the first 200 days of this administration, the EPA—under the leadership of Administrator Lee Zeldin—has taken more than 200 actions to safeguard air, land, and water while refusing to suffocate the economy with overreach.

Consider the victories already delivered. After decades of inaction, an international agreement was reached to permanently stop raw sewage from Mexico from polluting American waterways—a problem border communities have endured since the turn of the century. In California, the agency completed the largest wildfire cleanup effort in its history, removing toxic debris from over 13,000 homes and hundreds of businesses in less than a month—real action, not endless studies.

The EPA has also accelerated the cleanup of Superfund sites across the country, including contaminated military facilities, tribal lands, and long-abandoned industrial zones. Four sites have already been cleared from the National Priorities List, opening the door to redevelopment and job growth. Programs like the Superfund Job Training Initiative and the Brownfields Job Training Program aren’t just about remediation; they’re about equipping Americans with practical skills that lead to long-term, good-paying careers.

And this isn’t just cleanup—it’s renewal. With about 450,000 Brownfields across the U.S., revitalization efforts mean new opportunities for communities long ignored. Over $14 million has already been directed toward training Americans for careers in site assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment—proof that environmental responsibility can go hand-in-hand with economic revival.

All of this fits into President Trump’s broader vision: reshoring manufacturing from polluting nations like China, renegotiating trade deals that have bled American jobs, making the U.S. the global leader in AI innovation, and unleashing true energy independence. Environmental stewardship does not have to mean economic surrender. Under this administration, America is showing the world that we can clean up our environment while fueling prosperity for generations to come.

Vice President JD Vance put it best while touring a steel plant with Administrator Zeldin: the mission is clear—protect American health and safety while clearing away the bureaucratic obstacles that have slowed progress for too long.

This Labor Day, the message is simple: America works best when government works for the people, not against them. President Trump promised to deliver for the American worker, and the results are already rippling across our economy and communities. The EPA’s progress is proof that we can have both—a stronger economy and a cleaner, safer America.