Environmental groups, unions and other liberal-leaning organizations are pressing EPA to bring back laid off employees who aided underserved communities struggling with pollution.
The coalition, in a letter obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News, called on the agency to “immediately rescind” reduction in force, or RIF, notices sent to 19 employees last month. Those layoffs targeted staffers in regional offices working on environmental justice, which was a high priority for former President Joe Biden but has since been excised from EPA by the Trump administration.
The groups in the letter sent to Administrator Lee Zeldin this week said those employees have critical technical expertise, including skills regarding air and water quality as well as toxicology and grants administration.
“EPA must allow these dedicated and talented civil servants to be transferred to another division within their regional EPA offices,” they said. “The loss of these employees will further erode the vital link between federal regulators and local communities.”
