EPA cuts 22 environmental justice jobs under Trump's deregulation push
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will lay off 22 employees working in environmental justice next month. The decision follows executive orders signed by President Donald Trump last year. These orders targeted diversity programmes and aimed to shrink the federal workforce.
The affected staff are based in regional offices nationwide. Their final day at the agency will be March 27, 2026.
The EPA confirmed the layoffs, stating they align with earlier notices to Congress and employees. The move continues the Trump administration's push for a smaller EPA, part of a broader deregulatory agenda.
During Trump's previous term, the administration dismantled environmental justice offices at EPA headquarters and regional branches. No public records confirm layoffs in this specific division before now, leaving the total number of affected staff unclear.
AFGE Council 238, the EPA's largest union, has strongly criticised the decision. The union demanded the agency withdraw the notices and rebuild the workforce instead.
The layoffs will take effect on March 27, 2026. The EPA has not released further details on how the cuts will impact ongoing environmental justice programmes. The union's response suggests potential resistance to the agency's downsizing plans.
