The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) marked a milestone this week, celebrating 200 days of environmental initiatives under President Trump’s leadership. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced 100 new environmental actions completed in the last 100 days, building on a similar list of 100 actions taken during the administration’s first 100 days. 

“These past 200 days show that we can protect the environment and power the Great American Comeback,” Zeldin said. “We will continue to do everything in our power to rack up environmental win after environmental win for the American people.”

The latest wave of initiatives spans the nation, tackling issues ranging from drinking water safety and hazardous waste cleanup to air quality improvements and wildlife protection. Notable actions include the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Mexico to permanently end the decades-long Tijuana River sewage crisis, lifting the 2016 emergency order on Flint, Michigan’s drinking water after compliance with EPA standards, and releasing nearly $1 billion to help reduce PFAS contamination in drinking water.

EPA’s work also targeted state and tribal partnerships. Since January 20, the agency has acted on at least 91 State Implementation Plan submittals, added three sites to the National Priorities List for Superfund cleanups, and awarded $267 million in Brownfields grants for community revitalization. The agency also completed specialized training programs like the Superfund Job Training Initiative in the Navajo Nation, enabling graduates to work directly on hazardous site cleanups.

Water quality protection was a major focus. The EPA distributed $26 million to address lead in school and childcare facility drinking water, $30.7 million to improve rural and small community water systems, and $9.7 million to monitor coastal and Great Lakes beaches for bacterial contamination. The agency also moved forward with underground injection control programs in Texas and Arizona and announced over $12 million for states and tribes to strengthen these programs.

Emergency response operations were another hallmark of the 100-day period. EPA teams addressed asbestos removal at the Webster Mills Site in Massachusetts, deployed water quality monitoring buoys in Boston’s Charles and Mystic Rivers, removed 2,700 tons of toxic acid from a New Jersey Superfund site, and handled radiological soil excavation at New York’s Wolff-Alport site. They also coordinated responses to severe flooding in Texas and New Mexico, chemical spills in Iowa and Missouri, and multiple industrial accidents in Texas.

Air quality efforts included approving state plans in Connecticut, Louisiana, and Missouri, relaxing infeasible nitrogen oxide limits at a Minnesota steel facility, and reducing ozone-related sanctions in Illinois and Michigan after compliance improvements.

The EPA further advanced its collaboration with tribes, launching 41 consultations on environmental topics, distributing $72.1 million for tribal environmental programs, and reaffirming its policy on administering environmental programs on reservations.

Hazardous waste and pollution control remained a priority. Enforcement programs secured more than $286 million for Superfund cleanups, removed over 21.5 million pounds of pollutants through 822 enforcement cases, and processed 4,300 fewer pesticide submissions than at the start of the administration. The agency also finalized significant new use rules for 69 chemicals to ensure they pose no unreasonable risk to public health or the environment.

Beyond cleanup and enforcement, the EPA pushed forward with strategic planning and policy changes. These included revising the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, finalizing a management plan for the Long Island Sound, and releasing an Insecticide Strategy that balances protections for endangered species with flexibility for agricultural producers.

Zeldin emphasized that the list, while extensive, is not exhaustive. “This is a snapshot of the great work being done every day,” he said, noting that the EPA remains committed to “commonsense policies that drive down prices, unleash American energy, advance permitting reform, and revitalize the auto industry” while maintaining environmental safeguards.

Not Everyone is Convinced…

Some environmental advocates and policy analysts question whether the administration’s approach matches its rhetoric. Critics argue that while the list highlights numerous actions, many are continuations of existing programs, previously scheduled cleanups, or procedural changes rather than bold new policy shifts. 

They also point to the administration’s broader deregulatory agenda — including rollbacks on certain Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act provisions — as undermining long-term environmental protections. “Announcing actions is one thing,” said one watchdog group representative. “Ensuring they lead to measurable environmental outcomes is another.” 

Others have voiced concern that the administration’s emphasis on permitting reform and energy expansion could ultimately prioritize industry growth over ecosystem health.