U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin traveled across central Ohio on Tuesday, July 7, to highlight several core components of the agency’s new “Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative.”
Joined by EPA Region 5 Administrator Anne Vogel, Zeldin spent the day meeting with employee-owners in the energy sector, viewing cutting-edge chemical disposal technology, and speaking directly with heavy-duty automotive manufacturing workers about federal regulatory shifts.
The morning began in Granville at New River Electrical (NRE) Corporation, a 100 percent employee-owned company. Zeldin participated in a roundtable discussion and delivered a speech at the company’s event, titled “America’s Energy Moment: Building the Infrastructure That Powers Our Future.”
During his remarks, Zeldin detailed the agency’s ongoing efforts to balance environmental protection with economic growth. He emphasized the EPA’s commitment to cooperative federalism—working alongside state governments rather than imposing top-down mandates—while strictly adhering to the agency’s statutory obligations. Company representatives noted that NRE is currently experiencing rapid growth, attributing the expansion to the Trump EPA’s deregulatory, pro-growth policies.
In the afternoon, the tour shifted to Columbus for a firsthand look at emerging environmental technology at Revive Environmental Technology. Zeldin, along with U.S. Senator Jon Husted, Ohio EPA Director John Logue, and Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon, toured the facility to observe the operation of the company’s PFAS Annihilator.
The system utilizes a supercritical water oxidation platform designed to destroy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—often referred to as forever chemicals—across various waste streams. The technology targets contamination in Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF), landfill leachate, industrial wastewater, and contaminated groundwater.
During the site visit, Zeldin announced a shift in how the agency manages these materials, stating that the Trump EPA will now release PFAS Disposal and Guidance documents every single year, rather than every three years. The administrator noted the change is designed to keep pace with the rapid innovation and technological improvements happening at companies like Revive.
The central Ohio tour concluded in Chillicothe at PACCAR’s Kenworth truck manufacturing plant, a major assembly hub for the nation’s heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Zeldin and Senator Husted were joined by Congressman Dave Taylor for a tour of the facility and a meeting with PACCAR CEO Preston Feight.
Following the facility tour, Zeldin hosted an open town hall meeting with the plant’s workforce. During the question-and-answer session, Zeldin addressed employee concerns by emphasizing the Trump Administration’s focus on rolling back older, burdensome regulatory policies, bringing automotive jobs back to the United States, and increasing investments in domestic manufacturing facilities.
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