WATCH: Padilla Questions EPA Administrator Zeldin About Wildfire Disaster Relief Timeline, Lack of Action on Clean Air

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, questioned Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin about President Trump's proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget. Padilla slammed Zeldin for EPA rollbacks that could weaken California's ability to regulate its own air quality, especially since Californians are disproportionately affected by air pollution.

"I grew up with it in Southern California, so I know firsthand. State and local regulators have done everything they can to bring emissions down in every sector within their jurisdiction. The largest to tackle here are emitted under federal jurisdiction," said Senator Padilla. "So we've been working feverishly to try to get the federal government to do its job, or conversely, allow California to continue to push the envelope as we are able to do through the waivers granted by the Clean Air Act - authorities that the state of California has but no longer has because they were taken away by the Republican majority in Congress last year in response to this waiver being declared some sort of rule that can be overturned."

Padilla also pressed Zeldin on a specific timetable for when the Administration will send a supplemental funding request to help communities in Southern California rebuild after last year's wildfires. Zeldin refused to give a specific answer but committed to helping Los Angeles rebuild "however possible."

Padilla also secured a commitment from Zeldin for an update on approval of the long-delayed Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans, including those impacting the City of Hayward, Las Virgenes Water District, and Valley Water.

Earlier this month, Padilla released a statement on President Trump's FY 2027 budget proposal, calling on Congress to reject it and "fight for one that reflects our values, not the whims of Donald Trump." Padilla questioned Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), about the proposed budget and its eye-popping 42% increase in defense spending. Last week, Padilla slammed Energy Secretary Chris Wright about his Department's proposed budget, questioning how energy affordability could be a priority for this Administration given the drastic cuts proposed to science funding. Earlier today, Padilla pressed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on the cuts in the proposed FY 2027 budget to the combined funding for Environmental programs and enforcement, endangering coastal communities and economies.

Video of Padilla's full questioning is available here.

A full transcript of Padilla's questioning is below.

PADILLA: I appreciate your attention and support for the improvements in and around Tijuana River, number one. On another positive note, want to thank you for having worked with local officials, city and county folks after the fires in the Los Angeles area last January - both the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, more specifically or the largest footprint. So the response and the aid in the immediate aftermath was helpful, was good, was necessary. But as you know, there is still disaster aid pending as the communities are trying to rebuild. It has been more than a year, and so I'm wondering if, on behalf of the Administration, you know when we might expect that supplemental request for consideration by Congress?

ZELDIN: Well, I know, Senator, that there was a meeting that I've heard nothing but positive feedback from, from both the White House as well as Mayor Bass, County Supervisor Barger. That meeting last week, I would imagine, was felt universally as a good conversation to talk about insurance, to talk about banking, and to talk about potential federal aid. Some of this is a request with FEMA that might not require a new act of Congress. Part of this might be CDBG-DR funding that will require it. I believe that the OMB Director was in that meeting as well. And I also am under the understanding that there's been follow-up conversations as well.

PADILLA: I hate to cut you off. I do want to get to other issues, but yes or no, do you have a timetable? A couple of weeks? A month?

ZELDIN: I don't have a timetable. I've been focused on the EPA budget, but I'm happy to continue to help however possible on any front related to the LA rebuild.

PADILLA: I appreciate that. Now, turning to another issue or concern of delays, I would ask for your assistance in finalizing some long-delayed WIFIA loans for California water projects. As you know, WIFIA was initiated in the first Trump Administration when it was thought to be better for taxpayers to support communities and projects in the form of loans as opposed to grants. EPA told at least three California applicants - the City of Hayward, Las Virgenes, and Valley Water - that their loans were on track for approval on specific dates between 8 and 12 months ago. And as they were approaching those very specific dates that they were given, they were notified that their applications were postponed indefinitely. So happy to supply the specifics behind those applications and those projects, but can I count on you to help get those WIFIA loans finalized and done?

ZELDIN: I'm happy to check up on that. I'll be in the office tomorrow, and I'll ask our team what the status is.

PADILLA: I appreciate that. And the last category - in my couple minutes left - California is no stranger to polluted air. I grew up with it in Southern California, so I know firsthand. State and local regulators have done everything they can to bring emissions down in every sector within their jurisdiction. The largest to tackle here are emitted under federal jurisdiction. So we've been working feverishly to try to get the federal government to do its job, or conversely, allow California to continue to push the envelope as we are able to do through the waivers granted by the Clean Air Act - authorities that the state of California has but no longer has because they were taken away by the Republican majority in Congress last year in response to this waiver being declared some sort of rule that can be overturned. We can have the CRA debate separately. But what I want to know is - I guess the bigger picture just to set the tone here- when you came in, you promised the cleanest air in history. Do you believe air in Los Angeles, the air across the country is cleaner than when this Administration started?

ZELDIN: Yes. I've seen over the course of the last couple of decades -

PADILLA: Just this last year, just this last year.

ZELDIN: Yeah, primarily, I would give credit to the advancing technology that we've seen across this country and decisions that private actors have made. We've also started approving State Implementation Plans that were very much backlogged as well, and I believe that's also part of that process. I would point out, I know it is an important issue for Senator Kelly and Senator Curtis, but we took down the guidance 179B, on the international sources of air pollution, so that we're not putting areas into nonattainment for sources that are outside of their jurisdiction. California is another example where a lot of the air issues you are experiencing there are actually coming from international sources - another topic where, even though there might be conflict and disagreement on other aspects and policy approaches, it's another area we might be able to work together.

PADILLA: I certainly hope so. There's a whole playbook there - electrification of our core infrastructure, railroad infrastructure, emerging locomotive technologies - that we are happy to support. The hydrogen hub in California the federal government has defunded, while there's been this ample push through the Department of Energy and Department of the Interior on fossil fuel sources of electricity, not the renewable sources that California has led on, coupled with battery storage - improving resiliency, bringing down costs, reducing emissions. There's a lot more we can do. We need your support.

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