EPA Administrator Zeldin Wraps Up Week-Long Alaska Swing
Anchorage, Alaska — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin wrapped up a week-long swing through Alaska. After spending the first two days with U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright on the North Slope, Administrator Zeldin spent the remainder of the week in Anchorage, Whittier, and Chenega.
On Tuesday, June 3, 2025, Zeldin, Burgum, and Wright addressed over 1,000 attendees at Governor Mike Dunleavy’s Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference. They participated in a fireside chat discussing the great potential the state has to usher in a golden age of prosperity through unleashing energy dominance. Upon conclusion of their conversation, the group participated in a media availability with local and national press in attendance.
After speaking at the conference, the Administrator participated in several meetings. One was with New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to discuss energy production in New Mexico. Later this month, Zeldin will be taking his first trip to New Mexico since confirmation as Administrator for the Western Governors’ Association Annual Meeting taking place in Santa Fe. He also spoke with the Alaska Federation of Natives about top priorities facing tribal nations in the state.
On Wednesday, June 4, 2025, Administrator Zeldin kicked off his day meeting with EPA staff at the agency’s Anchorage Operations Office. After touring the office, Zeldin sat for a near hour-long conversation with staff who work to fulfill EPA’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment in Alaska.
He then went to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson where significant work is being done to clean up soil contaminated by PFAS, including the deployment of new technologies.
He concluded his evening with a dinner reception hosted Governor Dunleavy. Zeldin was joined by Secretary Burgum, local Alaska elected officials, and top energy sector representatives for a conversation about the state’s untapped potential.
On Thursday, June 5, 2025, Administrator Zeldin started his morning in Whittier, a small city south of Anchorage where EPA Brownfields grant funding is being used to help remediate environmental contamination at the Buckner Building, which is a former military housing facility. He then visited Chenega—an extremely remote village with roughly 70 residents only accessible by boat or small plane.
On Friday, June 6, 2025, Administrator Zeldin participated in a roundtable discussion with representatives from the Alaska Chamber of Commerce, Alaska Minerals Association, Alaska Oil and Gas Association, Associated General Contractors of Alaska, Resource Development Council, and Alaska Support Industry Alliance.
He rounded out the week-long swing with a breakfast with Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski.