EPA announces plans to dismantle scientific research arm

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Friday announced it will begin dismantling its scientific research arm, ending months of speculation after a document about the plan was leaked.

The decision to eliminate the EPA's Office of Research and Development is part of its broader restructuring and reorganization effort, which is expected to save American taxpayers approximately $748.8 million. 

The Trump administration previously maintained that no final decision on whether to gut the office had been reached, per the New York Times, but has since confirmed plans to eliminate the branch to create a new Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, 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.” 

The office provided independent research on topics like the risks of hazardous chemicals, the impact of wildfire smoke on public health and whether fracking contaminates drinking water.

The EPA is expected to fire the hundreds of chemists, biologists, toxicologists and other scientists under the office, but an exact number of how many people will be impacted was not immediately clear. 

Hundreds of employees also left the EPA office earlier this year to accept “deferred resignation” offers, the New York Times reported. The EPA had 16,155 employees in its entire workforce in January but has since trimmed down to 12,448 employees.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.