Trump appointee Lee Zeldin to meet with Karen Bass on fire rebuild efforts

It’s time to get to work.

Federal boots are hitting the ground this week to speed up the rebuilding process for thousands of Los Angeles families displaced by last year’s devastating wildfires.

Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator appointed by President Donald Trump to enforce a bypass on local permitting red tape, will be in Los Angeles on Wednesday to meet with Mayor Karen Bass, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, and other city officials responsible for the permitting process.

“It’s essential that we hear directly from them and the public about what they believe is working, what isn’t, and how we can accelerate the rebuilding process,” Zeldin told The California Post.

Zeldin will be joined on his trip by Kelly Loeffler, the administrator of the US Small Business Administration. The two will host a roundtable with homeowners and small-business owners impacted by the fires.

“Our goal is not only to listen and fully understand their challenges, but to help them move forward as rapidly as possible,” Zeldin said.

President Trump recently signed an executive order designed to “preempt” the building permit process for SoCal residents who lost everything and have had their rebuild, slowed down by Democratic leadership.

“I want to see if we can take over the city and state and just give the people their permits they want to build,” Trump told The Post when he signed the seven-page order.

“It’s outrageous that over a year later thousands of people are still stuck in limbo, unable to rebuild their homes and businesses. As I mentioned a couple days ago, President Trump has heard the frustration and anger, he’s been fired up over it himself, and is correctly demanding that these victims be allowed to immediately rebuild their lives,” Zeldin said to The Post ahead of Wednesday’s visit.

Californias impacted by the fires in Altadena and the Palisades have been very vocal about the lack of support and hurdles they feel they’ve faced because of current leadership at the state and local levels.

Newsom and Bass were quick to take shots at the Trump administration shortly after news broke of the executive order, demanding federal funds be unlocked. Zeldin doesn’t believe federal cash is the answer.

“Newsom is demanding an astronomically large, aspirational sum of federal taxpayer dollars that clearly extends far beyond any common-sense smell test. President Trump has made it clear that his administration will not stand by while non-federal red tape continues to hold back recovery,” Zeldin said.

“Los Angeles residents must be allowed to finally rebuild their homes and their lives.”

Zeldin believes the EPA’s experience in helping to clean up the debris left from the fires at an incredible pace after they destroyed entire communities will only help in the next phase of helping people.

We know how to complete big tasks at ‘Trump Speed’

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