Aaron Szabo has been tapped to lead EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, putting him at the center of President Donald Trump’s campaign to roll back climate and air pollution rules, according to five people who are familiar with the decision.
A lobbyist and former career federal official, Szabo will oversee an office that has traditionally written rules for sectors like transportation, power producers, and the oil and gas industry. Its agenda under Trump is expected to focus on rolling back and replacing the Biden administration’s climate standards on power plants, vehicles and other sectors.
The five people who confirmed that Szabo will lead the air office were granted anonymity to speak about personnel decisions. Szabo did not return phone calls seeking comment, and EPA did not respond to inquiries.
Szabo served as senior counsel for the White House Council on Environmental Quality in the first Trump term, and has held policy roles with the White House Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He is an attorney with Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath.
