EPA Shutdown: 90% of Staff Furloughed, Environmental Work Paused
The ongoing US government shutdown has led to a significant pause in most Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) operations. Around 90% of EPA staff will be furloughed, suspending inspections, investigations, and other crucial environmental work. This comes after substantial workforce cuts under the Trump administration.
The EPA plans to keep only 1,732 employees, around 11%, on duty during the shutdown. This includes emergency personnel, but most inspections, investigations, and permitting processes will be delayed or suspended. This pause in work follows a year that saw about 4,000 EPA employees leave, either through firings or buyouts.
The EPA's reduced workforce is set to continue, with a recent memo directing agencies to prepare for mass layoffs. This could make the current furloughs permanent. Meanwhile, the EPA has been rolling back protections against pesticides, 'forever chemicals', and fossil fuel emissions. It has also planned to repeal the endangerment finding, which acknowledges the harm of greenhouse gases. Additionally, hundreds of environmental grants have been canceled, and exemptions for large polluters have been issued since Trump took office. The office of Research and Development has also been eliminated.
The EPA's reduced capacity during the shutdown and potential long-term cuts raise concerns about environmental protection. Delays in inspections and investigations may allow pollutants to go unchecked, and rollbacks in protections could exacerbate environmental issues. The EPA's future workforce and the impact on environmental regulations remain uncertain.
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