Trump's pick for EPA air chief says he'll work to speed decisions on state pollution plans

President Donald Trump's pick to run the Environmental Protection Agency's air pollution office told senators Tuesday he would work to speed up federal decisions on state air plans, the kind of decisions that shape Fairbanks' long-running effort to clean up its air. He didn't say how fast.

Justin Schwab, the nominee to lead EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. He is a senior adviser to the EPA administrator and was the agency's deputy general counsel during Trump's first term.

The office carries out the Clean Air Act, and EPA has to approve Alaska's air quality plans. That includes Fairbanks, which for years hasn't met federal limits on fine-particle pollution. Last year, EPA approved the area's revised plan and extended its deadline to meet the standard to the end of 2027.

No senator asked about Alaska. But several pressed Schwab on delayed federal reviews of their own states' plans. He agreed to work with senators from California, Utah and Ohio on their plans, and told California Sen. Alex Padilla he'd work to process approvals quickly. He committed to no dates.

Sen. John Curtis of Utah argued that states shouldn't be penalized for pollution they can't control. Schwab agreed, saying states shouldn't be held to account for emissions "whether it be from international emissions or whether it be from wildfires," and said he would work toward any rule changes needed.

He also told Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, who led the hearing, that he would work to decide small refinery petitions to skip federal biofuel requirements "in a timely manner."

"People can in good faith disagree about the bounds of authority Congress has given EPA," Schwab said, adding that keeping the agency within those bounds doesn't mean a lack of concern for health and the environment.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, the committee's top Democrat, called Schwab "a walking, breathing conflict of interest," pointing to his former clients, including fossil fuel companies and the Heritage Foundation. Whitehouse said Schwab would replace Aaron Szabo, with whom he wrote the EPA chapter of Project 2025.

Schwab didn't respond to those remarks directly. Asked the committee's standard question about conflicts of interest, he said he knew of none.

Senators have until Friday to submit written questions.