The Trump administration is reportedly carrying out the first wave of layoffs in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), mainly focusing on environmental justice plan workers. [emphasis, links added]
Assistant Deputy Administrator Travis Voyles wrote in an internal memo Monday that the EPA will start cutting the rest of its environmental justice staff on July 31 and review a copy of the notice, according to reports from Politico's E&E News and Bloomberg Law.
“This action is to align our workforce with the current and future needs of the agency and ensure the effective operation of our plans.” Voyles reportedly wrote in the memo.
The notice reportedly recommends staff in the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights and the EPA intends to “reduce effective” regional environmental justice sector staff.
Voyles' notice reportedly did not specify how many employees would be laid off.
“Through this action, EPA is providing organizational improvements to the personnel structure that will directly benefit the American people and better promote the agency’s core mission to protect human health and the environment,” Voyles continued.
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