Presented by American Chemistry Council — President-elect Trump has selected former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).{beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment   The Big Story  Trump selects Lee Zeldin to lead EPAPresident-elect Trump has selected former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).© AP Photo/Matt Rourke “It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator,” Zeldin tweeted. “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”  Trump made the nomination official in a statement Monday, saying Zeldin will “ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards.”  Zeldin served in Congress between 2015 and 2023. He did not seek reelection in 2022, instead challenging New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) for her seat.   While he lost the race by about 6 percentage points, he outperformed Republicans in past elections in the solidly blue state.   In its statement announcing that he would lead the EPA, the Trump campaign said that Zeldin’s “strong performance at the top of the ticket helped Republicans flip multiple suburban House districts in New York, resulting in the Republican Party’s majority in the House of Representative.” Read more at TheHill.com.  Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.   Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.   Essential Reads  How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:  October second-warmest, second-driest on record for U.S.: NOAA October 2024 was both the second-warmest and second-driest October ever recorded in the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  Full Story  Who will lead energy, environment agencies under Trump?Energy and environment agencies may be helmed during the second Trump administration by officials who have served under the president-elect before.  Full Story  Climate scores big wins in ballot measures across US WestVoters across the U.S. West granted efforts to combat climate change resounding wins in state- and local-level ballot measures, amid expectations that President-elect Trump’s administration will roll back federal environmental protections.  Full Story  FEMA employee terminated after telling assistance team to avoid homes with Trump signs A Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employee was terminated after advising her survivor assistance team to not go to homes with President-elect Trump campaign signs on them following the onslaught of Hurricane Milton in Florida, the agency’s head confirmed.   Full Story  In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill: California air regulators approve controversial standards that could affect gas prices California regulators have approved plans to strengthen the state’s carbon reduction standards — a move that opponents fear could drive up gasoline prices. Full Story   What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics: Controversial Prop. 65 warning labels about toxic chemicals are effective, study says (The Los Angeles Times) Pictures from space show mighty smog choking Lahore (BBC)With Ready Orders and an Energy Czar, Trump Plots Pivot to Fossil Fuels (The New York Times)  On Tap  Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: The House Rules Committee will hold a business meeting Tuesday on three pieces of legislation, including the Harnessing Energy at Thermal Sources Act and the Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2024   What Others are Reading  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Gallego defeats Lake in Arizona Senate race Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) is projected to beat Republican Kari Lake in a consequential race for a seat in the Senate, dealing the former local news anchor her second straight electoral loss, according to Decision Desk HQ. Read more Senate GOP leadership candidates scramble to support Trump’s demand for recess appointments Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who are all running to become the next Senate GOP leader, say they will do whatever is necessary to allow President-elect Trump to fill positions within his administration and the federal judiciary quickly and would support Trump making recess appointments. Read more  Opinions in The Hill  Op-ed related to energy & environment submitted to The Hill: When you combine AI and nuclear power, the results can be catastrophic   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Energy & Environment page for the latest coverage.Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  400 N Capitol Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001 Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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