Dozens of House Democrats have pushed back the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cuts planned in Thursday's letter to the agency.
“We are particularly concerned about the proposal to eliminate up to 75% of employees within the EPA's R&D office (ORD).” letteraddressed to EPA administrator Lee Zeldin from Rep. Greg Landsman (d-ohio).
“Dismissing nearly 1,200 dedicated ORD civil servants nationwide provides independent, objective, unparalleled research informing agency evaluations and decision-making by destroying the EPA's scientific backbone,” they added.
The letter featured signatures from more than 60 House Democrats, including Nikema Williams (Georgia), Locanna (California), Summer Lee (Pennsylvania), Don Beyel (Virginia), Joe Negas (Colorado), Jamie Ruskin (MD.), Pramila Jayapal (Washington) and Rasidida Tseive (Mick).
Hill reported last week that the EPA is considering cutting the science department and dropping most of the branch's employees, following documents reviewed by Democrats on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.
The termination of the Research and Development Bureau as the EPA National Program Office is required in a plan reviewed by committee staff. 50% to 70% of the office's 1,540 staff will be reduced under the plan.
“While no decisions have been made, we are actively listening to employees at all levels and gathering ideas on how to better meet the agency's legal duties, increase efficiency and ensure that the EPA is as effective as ever.”
In his letter, the land said “the majority of ORD employees are particularly detrimental to the EPA's work to deal with industrial pollution, polluted air and drinking water, environmental health and worsening natural disasters.”
The Ohio Democrats also questioned the EPA about the reasons behind staff for cutting plans and how they could prepare to “reduce the loss of scientific expertise, institutional knowledge, and subjective capabilities resulting from this proposed action.”
Oka reached for the EPA for comments.
