Former Republican lawmaker from Wyoming to head up EPA’s Region 8 HQ based in Colorado

A view of the Environmental Protection Agency headquarters at Federal Triangle in Washington, D.C., in 2014 (EPA/U.S. Government work).

President Donald Trump appointed a former Republican member of the Wyoming House of Representatives to lead the Environmental Protection Agency region that includes Colorado. 

Cyrus Western was appointed EPA Region 8 administrator, leading the Trump administration’s environmental agenda in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. Region 8 is headquartered in Denver.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of the region and foster human health and environmental protection while encouraging sound economic growth,” Western said in a statement. “As a Wyoming native, I understand some of the unique challenges and opportunities this region faces and am committed to ensuring we meet the needs of the people while implementing the Administrator’s ‘Powering the Great American Comeback’ Initiative.”

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the initiative in February. It highlights his priorities for leading the agency under Trump, including restoring the country’s “energy dominance,” making the U.S. the “artificial intelligence capital of the world,” and restoring American auto jobs. Last week, Zeldin announced he will undo more than 30 of the agency’s regulations.

“I am grateful Cyrus Western is joining EPA as our Regional Administrator for Region 8,” Zeldin said in a statement. “I know with Cyrus’ experience in the Wyoming State House of Representatives championing energy and wildlife conservation, he will work non-stop to implement President Trump’s policies across the Region.” Cyrus Western

Western led legislation in 2024 that added new requirements for who can bid on state oil and gas lease parcels, a measure supported by the Petroleum Association of Wyoming. The bill came after a conservation group bid on a controversial oil and gas lease that affected a wildlife migration corridor, and the new law bans groups that intend to conserve the parcel from bidding.  

In 2020, Western made national headlines after he posted a racist tweet about Wyoming’s first Black sheriff. He deleted the post and apologized after he received criticism, calling his post “dumb and uncalled for.” The Republican Party from his home county censured him in 2023 for his involvement in a political advertisement paid for by a political action committee that was not registered with the state. 

Former speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives KC Becker led Region 8 under the Biden administration. She is an environmental lawyer from Boulder who worked to increase environmental protections in her time as administrator. 

Editor’s note: This story first appeared on Colorado Newsline, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Colorado Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Quentin Young for questions: info@coloradonewsline.com.