Lee Zeldin, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, was in Colorado on Saturday to meet with state leaders, including Gov. Jared Polis. Zeldin is making his rounds, talking with as many people across the country as possible to gather information on potential ways to run the agency more efficiently.
The visit came after he announced sweeping changes to the EPA last month and a week after EPA workers in Denver protested potential job cuts.
“There’s no message whatsoever that I’m here to deliver to anyone in region 8 about their jobs being in jeopardy,” said the administrator. “That’s not even part of the conversation.”
During a visit to Denver Water following his meeting with Polis, Zeldin shut down implications to reporters that Denver workers would be losing their jobs. But he didn’t shy away from questions regarding his overall goal of shrinking the agency.
“We do not want one more or one less than what we need to be able to do our job for the American people, and I think we owe that answer to the American taxpayer,” he said.
“If, at the end of the day, it’s identified that somebody’s in a particular position that doesn’t fill a core statutory obligation, and it isn’t fulfilling any of our power in the ‘Great American Comeback initiative,’ I would love to hear that feedback from the ranks,” Zeldin added.
His visit to Denver Water was an effort to collect feedback.
“It’s important to get out across the country. I feel like I can be a more effective administrator, that our team can be more effective, that the EPA can be more effective being out of Washington as much as possible in states and getting the feedback on the ground.”
The meeting could also be to the benefit of Denver Water as its CEO Alan Salazar took the opportunity to ask for the agency’s help in getting the Gross Reservoir expansion project across the finish line.
Last week, a federal judge ordered a halt to the construction of the $531 million project underway in Boulder County after finding assessments of its environmental impacts were flawed. During the discussion, Salazar was able to secure a meeting with the agency next week.
“The most important thing for me to do is to do my homework. I got feedback here today that I can take back to DC with me. I could reflect on it, and it’s good that Denver Water will be in Washington, D.C. next week; they can meet with leadership in Washington.”
Zeldin’s visit to Colorado ended with a tour and a message of collaboration.
“We believe in advancing cooperative federalism. We want a strong partnership with the state of Colorado.”
