Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Getting the EPA Back on Track

The Biden-Harris Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is broken. Delusional and expensive regulations caused prices to rise for families and businesses. EPA bureaucrats wasted millions of taxpayer dollars with grants to far-left partisan organizations. They issued mandates that limited choice and hindered American innovation. They disregarded a Supreme Court ruling in an illegal attempt to increase their power. They stonewalled Senators and kept important information from the American people. This is not what the agency was created to do.

We need to get rogue agencies like the EPA back on track. Americans re-elected Donald Trump because they trusted him to do that. Making government work better has long been a priority of mine. As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I’m excited to help the President-Elect accomplish his mission.

Good policies cannot be advanced without capable people leading the change. As the slogan goes: “personnel is policy.” I’m excited to have a change of leadership at the Environmental Protection Agency.

This week, I met with former Congressman Lee Zeldin. Mr. Zeldin is President-Elect Trump’s nominee to lead the EPA. Lee is a veteran of the U.S. Army and Army Reserve. He also served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023. In our conversation, we discussed several issues critical to Nebraska and our country.

Lee and I discussed the need for an EPA that provides relief, not regulation. The EPA’s role is to protect the environment. It should do so without placing unnecessary roadblocks in the way of hardworking Americans. I know Lee Zeldin understands how EPA overreach has hurt farmers and businesses. I was encouraged to hear his willingness to roll back these burdensome regulations. When we do that, we support innovation and economic growth.

Another issue we discussed was the need for an EPA that unleashes American energy. The Biden EPA blocked developing our U.S. energy. We need to end regulations like the Clean Power Plan that undermine our energy security and economic growth. We need to streamline permitting processes for critical infrastructure projects. These reforms will save consumers money, support American workers, and boost our economy. I’m confident that Lee Zeldin will be a good partner in these efforts.

We also discussed the need for an EPA that respects proven solutions like Nebraska biofuels. Biofuels like ethanol save consumers money at the pump, clean our environment, and support our farmers and ranchers. I emphasized our need to strengthen the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). I encouraged him to ensure that Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) are set at levels that reflect the full capacity of the renewable fuels industry. It is also important that these annual thresholds are set on time. This is critical for our nation’s energy security. I’ll continue fighting to make sure biofuels play a vital role in our energy strategy.

Former Congressman Lee Zeldin has a strong record of public service. I’m hopeful he will lead the EPA in a way that respects Nebraska priorities. I look forward to working together to advance policies that benefit Nebraska and all Americans.