‘A Wrecking Ball Assault’: Leaked Documents Reveal U.S. EPA’s Plans to Slash Its Scientific Office

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reportedly planning to dismantle its Office of Research and Development (ORD), potentially leading to the firing of a significant portion of its research staff, according to documents obtained by the Democratic staff of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

“This is a wrecking ball assault on the science that protects the air we breathe and the water we drink from toxic chemicals and pollution,” said Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, the former principal deputy assistant administrator for EPA’s ORD, in a statement.

The New York Times first reported the news about the restructuring at the ORD, and the documents obtained by the House committee indicate that 1,155 chemists, biologists, toxicologists, and other scientists — as much as 75% of the office’s workforce — could be laid off.

The plan calls for dissolving the research office and “reassigning” remaining staff to other parts of the agency “to provide increased oversight and align with administration priorities.” A portion of the EPA’s plans, which were recently presented to the White House for review, were shared with 3E.

“EPA will assess employee duties and skills against statutory responsibilities and administration priorities to ensure implementation of programs to protect human health and the environment … As part of a potential reorganization, EPA will assess these positions and determine the appropriate location within the agency,” the documents say.