Staff Reductions and Reassignments
The EPA initiated a "reduction in force," laying off over 450 employees, including 280 from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and environmental justice programs, and reassigned 175 others to different roles.
These staffing changes were part of a broader deregulatory effort, with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin aiming to roll back environmental regulations and cut spending, including a significant reduction in DEI and environmental justice grants.
Reactions and Criticisms
Former EPA leaders criticized the layoffs as abandoning the agency's mission, particularly harming low-income and minority communities most affected by pollution.
EPA spokesperson Molly Vaseliou defended the cuts, framing them as aligned with President Trump's mandate to transform the federal bureaucracy and emphasizing a commitment to protecting human health and the environment.