The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment is ending lab research activities, amid a broader reorganization effort under the Trump administration that could dismantle its main science office.
Ellie Borst reports for E&E News.
In short:
- EPA leaders told staff at the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment that lab operations will wind down due to halted acquisitions of supplies, signaling a de facto shutdown of research activities.
- The Office of Research and Development, responsible for core scientific assessments, may be dissolved or absorbed into other divisions as the agency shifts toward a Reagan-era staffing model focused on regulatory streamlining.
- Despite internal claims that key acquisition requests were blocked, EPA spokespeople denied any such restrictions and said ongoing contracts prove that research remains active.
Key quote:
“While Kay [Holt] and I, along with many of you, are grieving the loss of the Center that you built, and its research, we are also laser focused on mitigating impacts on our federal staff.”
— Wayne Cascio, director of the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment
Why this matters:
Scientific research at the EPA plays a foundational role in protecting public health and the environment, from tracking toxic pollutants to guiding regulatory decisions on air, water, and chemical safety. Dismantling or defunding its core research infrastructure could leave regulators, communities, and policymakers without the scientific evidence needed to respond to environmental health threats like emerging contaminants, climate impacts, and children’s exposure to toxics.
Read more: Trump administration moves to dismantle EPA’s science office
