Latest news with #Zeldin
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
EPA plans to ditch key climate policy, Washington Post says
The US Environmental Protection Agency is considering scrapping a landmark almost two-decade old legal opinion that greenhouse gas emissions are harmful to human health, the Washington Post reported. The so-called endangerment finding, published in 2009, has been the legal basis of a wide range of climate rules under the Clean Air Act. A draft proposal to formally abandon the policy is being considered by the EPA, though is still subject to change, the newspaper reported, citing two sources familiar with the details which it didn't name. Limits on vehicle greenhouse gas emissions will be eliminated under the plan, according to the report. The New York Time also reported a draft is under consideration citing unnamed sources. Bloomberg reported in February that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin was recommending the move. In a statement, the EPA said its proposal will be published for public notice once it has been reviewed by agencies and signed by Zeldin. Zeldin has launched a sweeping overhaul of environmental mandates as Trump pledges to limit regulatory costs and speed US energy development. Last week, chemical makers, coal-fired power plants and other facilities were granted exemptions to bypass a range of rules. The endangerment finding undergirds rules on emissions in industries including aviation, automobiles and the power sector. It's long been a target for skeptics of global warming and conservatives who argue that mandates under the Clean Air Act aren't appropriate to cover greenhouse gases, which don't respect national borders. Any move to scrap the finding would be complex and is likely to face challenges by environmental groups. Electric utilities and oil companies have also previously warned that any change could have unintended consequences, making them more susceptible to public nuisance lawsuits. Stringer reports for Bloomberg. Anna Kitanaka assisted.
India Today
6 days ago
- Business
- India Today
EPA shutters research arm, slashes thousands of jobs in massive restructuring
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Friday unveiled a sweeping overhaul that will dismantle its Office of Research and Development, slash over 3,700 jobs, and redistribute scientific roles across the it a strategic shift to focus on 'applied science,' the EPA said it will establish a new Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions aimed at enhancing research efforts tied directly to program needs, including air and water restructuring — part of a broader federal workforce downsizing now cleared by the Supreme Court — will reduce EPA staffing by nearly 23%, bringing the total workforce down to 12,448 employees. The move is expected to save nearly $750 million once fully implemented, according to the agency. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin defended the shake-up, saying it would position the agency to better deliver on its mission while contributing to what he called 'the Great American Comeback.''This reduction in force will ensure we can better fulfill that mission while being responsible stewards of your hard-earned tax dollars,' Zeldin critics argue the EPA is gutting the very scientific backbone that enables it to assess and respond to threats to public health and the environment.'The research and development office is the heart and brain of the EPA,' said Justin Chen, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, which represents EPA workers. 'Without it, we don't have the means to assess impacts upon human health and the environment. Its destruction will devastate public health in our country.'The research office — EPA's main scientific body — currently supports 1,540 positions across 10 national facilities, from Florida and North Carolina to Oregon. Up to 1,155 scientists, including chemists, biologists, and toxicologists, are expected to be laid assurances from EPA that 'all laboratory functions' will continue under the new structure, critics remain announcement follows the administrative suspension of 139 EPA employees who signed a 'declaration of dissent' challenging the Trump administration's environmental policies. The agency accused them of 'unlawfully undermining' the president's agenda, a rare and public internal their June 30 letter, dissenting employees wrote: 'The EPA is no longer living up to its mission to protect human health and the environment.'Meanwhile, the agency is also offering a third round of deferred resignations to eligible employees, including those within the research division. The application period for voluntary departures remains open through July 25, spokeswoman Molly Vaseliou confirmed.- EndsWith inputs from Associated Press
The Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
US EPA cuts 23% of workforce in Trump-era downsizing move
WASHINGTON: The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed plans to cut over 3,700 jobs, shrinking its workforce by nearly 23% as part of broader government reductions under President Donald Trump's second term. The agency, responsible for safeguarding air, land, and water quality, previously employed 16,155 workers in January. The latest round of cuts under the 'Deferred Resignation Program' will reduce staffing to 12,448. The reductions include employees who accepted deferred resignation—a strategy championed by former Trump administration adviser Elon Musk—along with early retirees and layoffs. 'EPA has taken a close look at our operations to ensure the agency is better equipped than ever to deliver on our core mission of protecting human health and the environment while Powering the Great American Comeback,' said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. The agency estimates the cuts will save $748.8 million. The White House aims to reduce the EPA's budget by 54%, lowering it to $4.2 billion for Fiscal Year 2026. The latest staffing figures fall below the 12,856 full-time positions proposed in the president's budget. Additionally, the EPA's scientific research division, the Office of Research and Development, will be replaced by a smaller Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions. The new office will focus on clearing chemical and pesticide review backlogs while tackling 'forever chemicals' (PFAS). Zeldin has spearheaded Trump's deregulation agenda, rolling back pollution protections to boost fossil fuel industries—a move criticized by scientists and environmental groups. Earlier this month, the EPA suspended 139 employees after they signed an open letter condemning Zeldin's policies as harmful to public health and the environment. - AFP
Business Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
US environment agency axes nearly a quarter of workforce
[WASHINGTON] The US Environmental Protection Agency said on Friday it was moving ahead with plans to axe its workforce by more than 3,700 employees, as part of sweeping government cuts under President Donald Trump's second term. In January, the federal agency tasked with ensuring clean air, land and water counted 16,155 employees. Under the third round of 'Deferred Resignation Programme' cuts, that figure will drop to 12,448, a 22.9 per cent reduction. The cuts are made up of employees who took deferred resignation - a programme pushed by former Trump administration chief cost-cutter Elon Musk - along with those who opted for early retirement or were laid off. 'EPA has taken a close look at our operations to ensure the agency is better equipped than ever to deliver on our core mission of protecting human health and the environment while Powering the Great American Comeback,' EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a statement. 'This reduction in force will ensure we can better fulfill that mission while being responsible stewards of your hard-earned tax dollars,' he added. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The statement added the cuts would generate US$748.8 million in savings. The White House is seeking to slash the EPA's budget by 54 per cent to US$4.2 billion for Fiscal Year 2026. Friday's announcement drops staffing to below the 12,856 full-time positions outlined in the president's proposed budget. The agency's scientific research arm - the Office of Research and Development - is also being dismantled, replaced by a smaller Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions. According to the EPA, the new office will work to eliminate backlogs in reviewing hundreds of chemicals and thousands of pesticides, while developing a new strategy to address so-called 'forever chemicals,' or PFAS. Zeldin has been at the forefront of Trump's push to aggressively deregulate pollution protections and 'unleash' fossil fuels, drawing fierce backlash from scientists and environment advocates alike. Earlier this month the EPA suspended 139 employees after they signed a scathing open letter accusing Zeldin of pushing policies hazardous to both people and the planet. AFP
Politico
7 days ago
- Business
- Politico
EPA moves ahead with reorganization, new buyouts
'These structural changes reinforce EPA's unwavering commitment to fulfill its statutory obligations and uphold fiscal responsibility,' Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a statement. In tandem with the announcement Thursday, the agency offered yet another round of buyouts and early retirements to employees, targeted at people in the offices being reorganized. That includes those in the Office of Research and Development, the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, the Office of Mission Support and the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, as well as regional employees who were excluded from an earlier round of deferred resignations, according to an email obtained by POLITICO. Details: EPA has created a new Office of Finance and Administration, combining what was formerly the Office of the Chief Financial Officer and the Office of Mission Support. Those divisions tended to draw less attention than the program offices charged with issuing and enforcing regulations and overseeing environmental cleanups. EPA touted the new office as a 'streamlined, one-stop-shop for all financial and administrative operations' that will improve coordination within EPA and help communicate better with Congress and other agencies. 'By partnering our operations and mission support services, we can deliver results for American communities while remaining good stewards of taxpayer dollars,' Zeldin said. The agency announced other restructurings in two other offices. In the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, EPA said unspecified changes to its operations 'will better address pollution problems that impact American communities by re-aligning enforcement with the law to deliver economic prosperity and ensure compliance with agency regulations.' The agency did not share further details about the reorganization. EPA earlier this year told staff to reduce enforcement and compliance actions against energy facilities, reducing oversight to prioritize 'violations that threaten human health and safety or risk releases or accidents that would disrupt energy production or power generation.' The agency on Thursday also announced additional unspecified changes to the Office of Land and Emergency Management, which oversees the sprawling Superfund program as well as EPA's response to disasters. The changes 'will better equip the agency to swiftly and efficiently fulfill statutory obligations like preventing contamination, cleaning up and returning land to productive use, and responding to emergencies.'
