EPA Slashes 23% of Workforce, Shuts Research Office in Federal Overhaul

In a sweeping move that’s stirring up both dust and debate, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Friday a hefty 23% cut to its workforce, slashing over 3,000 jobs, alongside the shuttering of its research and development office. This drastic restructuring is part of the Trump administration’s broader push to streamline federal operations, a plan that’s been green-lit by a recent Supreme Court ruling paving the way for mass layoffs.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin framed the cuts as a necessary recalibration, stating, "Under President Trump's leadership, we’re sharpening our focus on protecting human health and the environment while ensuring we’re responsible with taxpayer dollars." The agency projects savings of nearly $750 million from these reductions, a figure that’s hard to ignore but comes at a steep human cost.

While the research office—often called the 'heart and brain' of the EPA by critics like Justin Chen of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 238—is being axed, the agency plans to launch a new Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions. The EPA claims this will somehow amplify research efforts, though skeptics aren’t buying the pivot. Chen warned that losing the research arm could cripple the agency’s ability to assess impacts on public health and the environment, potentially leaving communities vulnerable.

This shake-up follows a wave of internal unrest, with 139 EPA employees recently signing a 'declaration of dissent' accusing the administration of undermining the agency’s core mission. The administration, in turn, has labeled such resistance as unlawful interference with its agenda. As these cuts roll out, the tension between fiscal priorities and environmental stewardship is more palpable than ever.