More than 270 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employees have accused the Trump administration of pushing a political agenda that undermines science and endangers public health.
Maxine Joselow reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- EPA employees sent a letter to Administrator Lee Zeldin condemning political interference and warning that environmental decisions are being made without regard to science or legal precedent.
- The administration is considering eliminating the agency’s research arm and has already shut down its environmental justice offices, prompting over 1,400 staff departures since January.
- The union representing EPA workers also filed a Hatch Act complaint over politically charged language in internal newsletters attacking Democratic lawmakers.
Key quote:
“In Trump’s America, it is a brave thing to speak out in this way. We have EPA employees who are signing their full names, their offices, their regions, all of that. These are people who feel that this is so important that they’re willing to risk their careers to make sure that this information gets out to the public.”
— Colette Delawalla, executive director of Stand Up for Science
Why this matters:
The EPA plays a central role in limiting pollution, regulating toxic chemicals, and responding to climate threats. The proposed layoffs and closures threaten not just institutional expertise, but the very infrastructure needed to detect and prevent harm. Public health, especially in lower-income and historically marginalized areas, often depends on EPA enforcement and oversight. When science takes a back seat to politics, regulations tend to weaken, industry faces less scrutiny, and the long-term costs — chronic disease, degraded ecosystems, biodiversity loss — land on the public.
Related: EPA shifts scientists from research to chemical approvals, raising alarm over independence
