EPA eliminates research and development office, begins layoffs

WASHINGTON AP The Environmental Protection Agency noted Friday it is eliminating its research and advancement arm and reducing agency staff by thousands of employees The agency s Office of Research and Advancement has long provided the scientific underpinnings for EPA s mission to protect the habitat and human vitality The EPA announced in May it would shift its scientific expertise and research efforts to campaign offices that focus on major issues like air and water The agency commented 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 bureaucrats stated EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin declared in a report that the changes stated Friday would ensure the agency is better equipped than ever to deliver on our core mission of protecting human robustness and the milieu while Powering the Great American Comeback The EPA also mentioned 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 executive 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 reported This reduction in force will ensure we can better fulfill that mission while being responsible stewards of your hard-earned tax dollars Zeldin commented using a regime 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 explained The obliteration of ORD will have generational impacts on Americans physical condition and safety The Office of Research and Evolution is the heart and brain of the EPA mentioned Justin Chen president of American Federation of Cabinet Employees Council which represents thousands of EPA employees Without it we don t have the means to assess impacts upon human medical and the ecosystem Chen mentioned Its destruction will devastate population healthcare in our country The research office EPA s main science arm at this time has positions excluding special authorities employees and masses physical condition 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 explained 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 explained 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 citizens June the employees wrote that the EPA is no longer living up to its mission to protect human vitality and the climate The letter represented rare society criticism from agency employees who knew they could face retaliation for speaking out Source