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5mo ago

EPA Finalizes Layoffs of Hundreds in Environmental Justice Programs

The agency has issued reduction-in-force notices to 280 employees and reassigned 175 others, as part of a broader restructuring under Administrator Lee Zeldin.

The seal of the Environmental Protection Agency outside the agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 18, 2025.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin attends a signing ceremony with members of the West Virginia Congressional Delegation at the EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 18, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo
Video shared by the Beachwood Vol. Fire Department shows a sky filled with smoke over a residential neighborhood on Tuesday, April 22.
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Overview

  • The Environmental Protection Agency has formally notified 280 employees of termination and reassigned 175 others, with changes effective July 31, 2025.
  • The affected roles are primarily tied to the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, which focused on protecting pollution-burdened communities.
  • Administrator Lee Zeldin defended the cuts, arguing that funds were being misdirected toward studies rather than tangible environmental remediation efforts.
  • The layoffs are part of a larger plan to reorganize the EPA, which includes a proposed 65% budget cut and the rollback of over 30 environmental regulations.
  • Critics, including union leaders and environmental advocates, warn these actions undermine protections for vulnerable communities and are challenging the decisions in court.