Donald Trump tapped a loyalist who wrote a book calling the president-elect an "environmental hero" to head up an Environmental Advisory Task Force.
Trump announced that he was picking Ed Russo, an environmental consultant to the Trump Organization who self-published a book in 2016 titled "Donald J. Trump: An Environmental Hero," on his social media site Truth Social on Friday evening.
"I am pleased to announce that Ed Russo, an Environmental Expert, will lead our Environmental Advisory Task Force, which will advise my Administration on initiatives to create great jobs and protect our natural resources, by following my policy of CLEAN AIR and CLEAN WATER," Trump said.
"Together, we will achieve American Energy DOMINANCE, rebuild our Economy, and DRILL, BABY, DRILL. Congratulations Ed!" the incoming president said.
When Russo was CEO of WaterGen USA, Politico reported that the company received an EPA research contract during Trump's first term in 2018.
He's now listed as CEO of RussKap Water based in North Miami Beach, the report said.
During a 2017 interview with E&E News, Russo gushed about Trump's environmental positions, saying "He focuses on that...He has a practical approach to environmental protection."
In his first four years in office, Trump rolled back more than 100 environmental rules and regulations, including those dealing with clean air, water, wildlife and toxic chemicals, the New York Times reported.
He is expected to continue to target environmental regulations when he reenters the White House on Jan. 20, including the energy tax credits in President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, TD Bank wrote in an analysis.
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