EPA staff departures continue to mount as more of the agency’s employees are approved to join President Donald Trump’s mass resignation scheme.
So far, 1,422 EPA employees have signed the agreement for the second round of the deferred resignation program and early retirement option, according to figures provided by the agency Wednesday.
That is nearly 90 more employees than what POLITICO’s E&E News reported last week. The exodus will take a sizable chunk out of EPA’s staff, which has already seen hundreds of probationary and environmental justice employees pushed out and could climb even higher in the weeks ahead.
“The agency is continuing to review applications,” said EPA spokesperson Carolyn Holran. She noted employees over 40 years old still have 45 days to go over the agreement before they sign.
