Former Rep. Lee Zeldin announced Monday on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he will be joining President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet as EPA administrator.

Zeldin released a statement, saying, “I am deeply honored to have been asked by President Trump to serve in his Cabinet. As EPA Administrator, we will restore American energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, make the United States the global leader of Artificial Intelligence advancement, and slash the red tape holding back American workers from upward economic mobility. We will accomplish all this while conserving our environment, protecting access to clean air and water, and keeping the American people healthy. I look forward to contributing to President Trump’s agenda to build a more prosperous future for our nation."

In addition to previously representing New York's 1st Congressional District, Zeldin was also the Republican candidate for New York governor in 2022.

Trump released a statement, saying, “As the 45th & 47th President of the United States, I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected former Congressman from New York, Lee Zeldin, will be appointed to serve as The Administrator of The United States Environmental Protective Agency (EPA). Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies. He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet. He will set new standards on environmental review and maintenance, that will allow the United States to grow in a healthy and well-structured way.

I have known Lee Zeldin for a long time, and have watched him handle, brilliantly, some extremely difficult and complex situations. I am very proud to have him in the Trump Administration, where he will quickly prove to be a great contributor!”

Liz Competello, of Patchogue, said she’s excited to see a Long Islander in President-elect Trump’s Cabinet.

"He did a lot for us, he's fighting for us,” she said. "They got to open up their eyes and their ears and listen to him. He knows what he's talking about."

As a congressman, Zeldin was a member of the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, spoke out against offshore drilling on the East Coast, called on the EPA to pass a drinking water standard for dangerous PFAS chemicals and secured funding to protect the Long Island Sound.

"I think he has some firsthand, unfortunately, knowledge and experience about the damage sea level rise and climate change is doing to our South Shore communities,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

Long Island Association president and CEO Matt Cohen says Zeldin understands the role the environment plays with economic growth, especially on the island.

"There are a lot of issues here he's familiar with. There are a lot of issues that are impacting us here on Long Island in our environment that impact our economy,” he said.

Some environmental groups, specifically the League of Conservation Voters, have given him a low score over his congressional voting record on the environment, especially on clean air initiatives.

"He's had sort of a mixed result on his work,” said Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters. "He's voted against a number of climate protections that we think are really important. He always voted for the water regulations related to PFAS."

As he prepares for a new job in the nation's capital, Long Islanders hope he doesn't forget about where he comes from.

"Don't forget Long Island. We need you. We need to fight climate change,” said Esposito.