EPA eliminates research and development office, begins layoffs

WASHINGTON AP The Environmental Protection Agency mentioned Friday it is eliminating its research and progress arm and reducing agency staff by thousands of employees The agency s Office of Research and Growth has long provided the scientific underpinnings for EPA s mission to protect the conditions and human wellbeing The EPA declared in May it would shift its scientific expertise and research efforts to operation offices that focus on major issues like air and water The agency explained 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 agents stated EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin noted in a message that the changes publicized Friday would ensure the agency is better equipped than ever to deliver on our core mission of protecting human robustness and the surroundings while Powering the Great American Comeback The EPA also commented 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 leadership 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 noted This reduction in force will ensure we can better fulfill that mission while being responsible stewards of your hard-earned tax dollars Zeldin noted using a ruling body 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 declared The obliteration of ORD will have generational impacts on Americans fitness and safety The Office of Research and Advancement is the heart and brain of the EPA stated Justin Chen president of American Federation of Establishment Employees Council which represents thousands of EPA employees Without it we don t have the means to assess impacts upon human healthcare and the conditions Chen declared Its destruction will devastate constituents robustness in our country The research office EPA s main science arm currently has positions excluding special establishment employees and general robustness officers according to agency documents reviewed by Democratic staff on the House science panel earlier this year As multiple 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 commented Friday that all laboratory functions at this time 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 reported 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 population June the employees wrote that the EPA is no longer living up to its mission to protect human wellbeing and the circumstances The letter represented rare inhabitants criticism from agency employees who knew they could face retaliation for speaking out Source