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2w ago

EPA Issues Layoff Notices to Nearly 200 Environmental Justice Staff

The agency, under Administrator Lee Zeldin, plans a 65% budget cut and reorganization, citing misalignment of roles with its revised mission.

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
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
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Overview

  • The Environmental Protection Agency has issued termination notices to nearly 200 employees in its Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, effective July 31.
  • The affected staff had been placed on administrative leave in February, reinstated during legal challenges, and now face confirmed layoffs.
  • EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin defended the decision, calling environmental justice programs ineffective and misaligned with the agency's goals.
  • The agency aims to reassign 175 employees from diversity, equity, and inclusion roles as part of a broader reorganization targeting a 65% budget reduction.
  • Union leaders and environmental advocates have criticized the layoffs, warning they undermine protections for vulnerable communities and public health.