As President-elect Donald Trump prepares for office, his administration is expected to pursue measures to significantly reduce the Environmental Protection Agency's workforce, reversing gains made under President Biden.
Kevin Bogardus reports for E&E News.
In short:
- Trump has signaled plans to reduce the EPA’s workforce through budget cuts, possible layoffs and reclassification efforts.
- Biden increased EPA staffing by more than 6,200 employees with funds from climate and infrastructure legislation, aiming to tackle critical environmental work.
- Trump's proposed initiatives include reviving Schedule F to make more positions “at-will,” facilitating staff reductions without replacements.
Key quote:
“The reduction in force is so disruptive that simply executing it would pretty much grind the agency to a halt.”
— Stan Meiburg, executive director for Wake Forest University’s Andrew Sabin Family Center for Environment and Sustainability
Why this matters:
A significant reduction in EPA staffing would impact environmental regulation, oversight and enforcement. Fewer staff could slow progress on pollution control, climate goals and public health protections, potentially affecting both local and national environments.
Related EHN coverage: Op-ed: We mobilized to defend the EPA in Trump's first term. This time the stakes are even higher.
