EPA Restructures Science Operations, Signals Potential Staff Reductions

Overview

• The EPA has begun reorganizing its scientific operations by transferring 130 researchers to its chemicals office to address a significant backlog of chemical and pesticide approvals.
• Two new program offices—State Air Partnerships and Applied Science and Environmental Solutions—have been established to align science with regulatory processes and state collaboration.
• EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that future staffing levels could be reduced to those seen during the Reagan administration, though no immediate layoffs are planned.
• The reorganization is expected to save taxpayers over $300 million annually, according to the agency's projections.
• Critics, including former EPA officials, warn that dissolving the independent research office and moving scientists into policy roles could compromise scientific integrity and increase political influence.