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Trump Plans to Cut 65% of Environmental Protection Agency Staff
The administration targets major workforce reductions at the EPA, aiming to scale back environmental regulations.
President Donald Trump announced plans on Wednesday to cut approximately 65 percent of staff at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), marking a significant reduction at the key regulatory body responsible for overseeing environmental protection and climate policies.
Speaking about the planned cuts, Trump referenced EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, stating that the agency would see major downsizing.
The EPA currently employs over 17,000 personnel as part of the broader federal workforce of approximately two million.
The initiative aligns with Trump’s broader strategy to reduce the size of the federal government and cut regulatory oversight, a task he has assigned to business executive Elon Musk.
Trump has prioritized rolling back environmental regulations, particularly those related to climate change, arguing that such measures hinder economic growth.
Since returning to office, Trump has withdrawn the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement for the second time and declared a 'national energy emergency' aimed at expanding domestic oil drilling.
He has also signed executive orders limiting the transition to electric vehicles and suspending offshore wind farm projects.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, a former congressman from New York, has pledged to follow through on the administration’s agenda, stating that the agency will prioritize clean water and air but will reduce other environmental regulations.
He has also supported Musk’s push for federal budget reductions, recently announcing a $60 million cut in grants previously allocated for diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice programs.
The proposed downsizing comes amid ongoing scientific consensus that climate change is driven by human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has stated that recent climate trends differ from historical natural cycles and are linked to industrial emissions, especially since the late 19th century.
Speaking about the planned cuts, Trump referenced EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, stating that the agency would see major downsizing.
The EPA currently employs over 17,000 personnel as part of the broader federal workforce of approximately two million.
The initiative aligns with Trump’s broader strategy to reduce the size of the federal government and cut regulatory oversight, a task he has assigned to business executive Elon Musk.
Trump has prioritized rolling back environmental regulations, particularly those related to climate change, arguing that such measures hinder economic growth.
Since returning to office, Trump has withdrawn the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement for the second time and declared a 'national energy emergency' aimed at expanding domestic oil drilling.
He has also signed executive orders limiting the transition to electric vehicles and suspending offshore wind farm projects.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, a former congressman from New York, has pledged to follow through on the administration’s agenda, stating that the agency will prioritize clean water and air but will reduce other environmental regulations.
He has also supported Musk’s push for federal budget reductions, recently announcing a $60 million cut in grants previously allocated for diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice programs.
The proposed downsizing comes amid ongoing scientific consensus that climate change is driven by human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has stated that recent climate trends differ from historical natural cycles and are linked to industrial emissions, especially since the late 19th century.
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