Trump administration may fire more than 1,000 EPA scientists and scrap research office, Democrats say | US Environmental Protection Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to abolish its scientific research office and fired more than a thousand scientists and other employees who help environmental pollution to provide a scientific basis for human health and environmental protection rules.

According to documents reviewed by the Democratic staff in the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, at least 1,155 chemists, biology, toxic experts and other scientists – 75 % of the staff of the 75 % research program can be released.

Planned roofs developed as part of the Trump administration as part of the federal government’s widespread pressure to reduce and make it more efficient, critics attacked them as widespread eliminating the EPA’s long -term mission for public health and environment protection.

These projects were first reported by The New York Times.

EPA Administrator Li Zieldon has said that he wants to eliminate 65 % of the agency’s budget, which will require a reduction in costs, which will require a significant reduction in jobs such as air and water quality monitoring, responding to natural disasters and leading the agency’s reduction. The EPA has also issued guidance, which has been directed that the so -called “department of government performance” is needed for the goods that spend more than 50,000, to spend more than 50,000.

According to a memo, Office Research and Development – EPA’s central science arm – currently consists of 1,540 positions except special government employees and public health officers. The memo says the majority of the staff are from 50 % to 75 % – “will not be maintained”.

The Research Office has 10 facilities nationwide, which extend from Florida and North Carolina to Oregon.

The memo says the project has demanded dissolution of the research office and re -assign the rest of the staff in other parts of the agency so that “increased surveillance and administration’s priorities.” EPA officials have presented the plan to review the White House.

EPA spokesman, Molly Vasileio, said the agency “is taking interesting steps” as “entering the next phase of organizational improvement,” but said the changes have not been finalized.

“We are committed to enhancing clean air, water and land supply for all Americans,” he added, “he added,” Although no decision has been made yet, we are actively listening to employees at all levels to collect ideas about increasing performance and make sure it is effective and effective. “

Zhu Luffgun, a California Congress woman, the top Democrat of the Science Committee, said in a statement that the agency’s research office was formed by Congress and “it is illegal to abolish it.”

Lofgen said that every decision that the EPA makes should “pursue human health and environment protection, and that may not happen if you go to EPA science.”

He added, “This is not the case and that is the case, and that is the case.” Lofagran said President Donald Trump and his billionaire advisers, “are putting the lower lines of their pollution colleagues on the health and safety of Americans.”

He said in his first term, “Trump and his Cronnesis did politics and distorted science.” “Now, it’s an attempt to kill them for their good.”

“Trump’s EPA is still putting pollution on people,” said Tikora Jones, chief science officer of the Environment Group Natural Resources Defense Council.

He demanded the Congress to “stand and demand that the EPA put its scientists in the heart so that we can all get clean and clean water we need and deserve it.”