EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin returned to Capitol Hill this week to testify before House and Senate appropriators in defense of the Trump administration’s bid to slash EPA’s budget by more than half, from $9.1 billion this year, to $4.2 billion in fiscal 2026, which begins in October. Because the White House has thus far released only a skeletal “skinny” version of its budget request, lawmakers don’t have a lot to work with. But it was Zeldin’s first appearance before Congress since he won Senate confirmation in late January and took charge of a deeply polarizing agenda that critics say will decimate the agency. Here are four takeaways from this week’s hearings. During Trump’s first term, lawmakers repeatedly rebuffed deep cuts to EPA spending. They are now poised to do so again.

Other EPA news:

• Bloomberg Law: EPA’s Zeldin defends deep cuts in state program funds at hearing
• Bloomberg Law: EPA can’t legally redirect green funds, enviro group tells court
• E&E News by Politico: Senate confirms Trump’s nominee for EPA top lawyer