EPA eliminates research and development office, begins layoffs

WASHINGTON AP The Environmental Protection Agency disclosed Friday it is eliminating its research and improvement arm and reducing agency staff by thousands of employees The agency s Office of Research and Progress has long provided the scientific underpinnings for EPA s mission to protect the habitat and human wellbeing The EPA mentioned in May it would shift its scientific expertise and research efforts to effort offices that focus on major issues like air and water The agency stated Friday it is creating a new Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions that will allow it to focus on research and science more than ever before Once fully implemented the changes will save the EPA nearly million personnel commented EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin explained in a message that the changes communicated Friday would ensure the agency is better equipped than ever to deliver on our core mission of protecting human healthcare and the atmosphere while Powering the Great American Comeback The EPA also announced it is beginning the process to eliminate thousands of jobs following a Supreme Court ruling last week that cleared the way for President Donald Trump s plans to downsize the federal workforce despite warnings that critical cabinet services will be lost and hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be out of their jobs Total staffing at EPA will go down to a reduction of more than employees or nearly from staffing levels in January when Trump took office the agency declared This reduction in force will ensure we can better fulfill that mission while being responsible stewards of your hard-earned tax dollars Zeldin revealed using a leadership term for mass firings Heart and brain of EPA Rep Zoe Lofgren of California the top Democrat on the House Science Committee called the elimination of the research office a travesty The Trump administration is firing hardworking scientists while employing political appointees whose job it is to lie incessantly to Congress and to the American people she revealed The obliteration of ORD will have generational impacts on Americans wellness and safety The Office of Research and Expansion is the heart and brain of the EPA reported Justin Chen president of American Federation of Authorities Employees Council which represents thousands of EPA employees Without it we don t have the means to assess impacts upon human soundness and the atmosphere Chen declared Its destruction will devastate inhabitants fitness in our country The research office EPA s main science arm currently has positions excluding special executive employees and community wellness officers according to agency documents reviewed by Democratic staff on the House science panel earlier this year As a multitude of as chemists biologists toxicologists and other scientists could be laid off the documents indicated The research office has facilities across the country stretching from Florida and North Carolina to Oregon An EPA spokeswoman revealed Friday that all laboratory functions at the moment conducted by the research office will continue In addition to the reduction in force or RIF the agency also is offering the third round of deferred resignations for eligible employees including research office staff spokeswoman Molly Vaseliou declared The application period is open until July Declaration of dissent The EPA s announcement comes two weeks after the agency put on administrative leave employees who signed a declaration of dissent with agency policies under the Trump administration The agency accused the employees of unlawfully undermining Trump s agenda In a letter made society June the employees wrote that the EPA is no longer living up to its mission to protect human wellbeing and the setting The letter represented rare general criticism from agency employees who knew they could face retaliation for speaking out Source