Long Island environmentalists offered mixed reviews of Lee Zeldin's answers during his Senate confirmation hearing for EPA administrator.

GOP former House member Lee Zeldin, picked to be EPA administrator, pledged strict interpretation of the country's environmental laws.

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., President-elect Donald Trump's pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, appears before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Zeldin will appear Thursday before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works for his confirmation hearing to be the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, who is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, told senators Thursday that climate change is real but that other nations are not doing enough to cut their carbon emissions.

WASHINGTON -- Former Long Island congressman Lee Zeldin denied that he will favor industry over the environment and declared he thinks climate change is real as he faced questions Thursday on his nomination to be the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Zeldin said, if confirmed, that he’d foster collaboration and balance in his approach to carrying out the mission of the EPA.

Lee Zeldin appeared before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works for his confirmation hearing Thursday, the step before he would become the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

I believe that climate change is real,” Zeldin said, adding that he would work to “ensure we are protecting our environment, while also protecting our economy.”