Mr. Zeldin, a Trump loyalist, would be charged with dismantling climate rules and perhaps the agency itself. He faced questions from the Senate Thursday.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is questioning the nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Lee Zeldin, in a confirmation hearing Thursday.

EPA Administrator nominee Lee Zeldin stated that while he couldn’t prejudge the outcomes of any processes, he acknowledged the importance of year-round E15. Despite this non-committal response, leaders of ethanol industry groups,

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.”

Maryland’s freshman senator was in the spotlight Thursday as she had a chance to question some of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees.

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.

Former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin is facing his confirmation hearing in the Senate on Thursday. Here's what you need to know.

The Vermont senator took a dig at President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Donald Trump’s nominee for EPA chief was struggling to answer basic questions about climate change in his confirmation hearing.

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. You might know them from: He's a former Republican congressman from New York's Long Island area.

Senate Committee hearing on the nomination of Lee Zeldin to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency