The Trump administration plans to fire or reassign hundreds of Environmental Protection Agency employees who have been working on environmental justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion, according to multiple reports.
NBC News reported Tuesday that some 280 workers will be terminated, while another 175 EPA employees were reassigned to new roles.
An EPA spokesman told The Washington Post that the "reduction in force" would cut 105 employees and reassign about 175 employees to other offices.
"Today, EPA notified diversity, equity, and inclusion and environmental justice employees that EPA will be conducting a Reduction in Force in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management Workforce Reshaping Handbook and federal regulations governing RIF procedures," EPA spokeswoman Molly Vaseliou said in an email, NBC News reported.
"The agency also notified certain statutory and mission essential employees that they are being reassigned to other offices."
Staff members in the EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, which the administration aims to close, received Monday notices from Assistant Deputy Administrator Travis Voyles, the Post reported Tuesday.
Employees working on environmental justice in regional offices also were sent Voyles' message.
"This action is necessary to align our workforce with the Agency's current and future needs and to ensure the efficient and effective operation of our programs," said the notice, which was obtained by the Post.
"With this action, EPA is delivering organizational improvements to the personnel structure that will directly benefit the American people and better advance the Agency's core mission of protecting human health and the environment."
A copy of a memorandum sent to an employee who received notice of the reduction in force said the moves will take effect on July 31, NBC News reported.
Late last month, the Associated Press reported EPA planned to eliminate its scientific research office and could fire more than 1,000 scientists and other employees who help provide the scientific foundation for rules safeguarding human health and ecosystems from environmental pollutants.
As many as 1,155 chemists, biologists, toxicologists, and other scientists — 75% of the research program's staff — could be laid off, according to documents reviewed by Democratic staff on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
The planned layoffs are part of the Trump administration's push to shrink the size of the federal government and make it more efficient.
Early last month, Trump said his administration aims to cut around 65% of EPA staff, AFP reported.
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