EPA Places Employees on Leave Following Petition
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put 144 employees on administrative leave after they signed an open petition opposing actions taken during the Trump administration.
The “Declaration of Opposition,” released publicly on Monday, criticized recent deregulation efforts and the focus on “environmental justice” initiatives promoted under the Biden administration, among other policies. While the investigation is ongoing, employees remain on leave, and EPA head Lee Zeldin has shown little tolerance for those he believes may be undermining the agency. Earlier this year, he expressed frustration with bureaucrats who apparently want to counter the agency’s current direction.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy against bureaucrats who have unlawfully obstructed the agenda voted for by the American people,” Zeldin stated. He added that a small group of employees has publicized misleading information about the agency’s work, using their official titles inappropriately.
It’s worth noting that, with about 15,000 employees at the EPA, the individuals who signed the petition represent a small fraction of the total workforce. According to the agency, the 144 employees who took leave did so after signing the letter.
The petitioners expressed concerns about the EPA’s rollback of initiatives that had previously allocated substantial funds to politically linked nonprofits. They categorized the adherence to climate science as almost religious and condemned actions that endanger public health and undermine scientific progress.
Zeldin emphasized that most employees are committed to the agency’s primary mission of safeguarding human health and the environment while honoring the will of the American people. He reassured that the zero-tolerance policy is in place to prevent any unjust implementation.
In his statement, Zeldin mentioned that he has collaborated with many dedicated career staff at the EPA since becoming head of the agency, striving to carry out the agenda that the country supported last year.
