Trump is making some major moves.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently sent a notice to over 1,000 of its employees, warning them that they could face immediate dismissal due to being on probationary status. According to an email obtained by The Hill, employees were informed that as probationary workers, the agency holds the right to terminate their employment at any time. This move is part of an ongoing effort to streamline government operations, a goal championed by the Trump administration.
Nicole Cantello, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 704, which represents EPA workers in the Midwest, expressed deep concern about the implications of these notifications. She believes this action could be a precursor to a larger wave of firings, targeting those who have been with the agency for less than a year. Cantello worries that the EPA could soon lose a significant portion of its workforce, which could ultimately jeopardize critical environmental programs.
This concern is not without merit. Alongside the recent notifications, approximately 2 million federal employees were offered a “buyout” package, encouraging them to leave government work voluntarily. The EPA employs more than 15,000 people, and Cantello fears that between the buyouts and the possible firings of newer staff, up to one-tenth of the agency’s workforce could be lost. Such a reduction in staff could have devastating effects on vital environmental projects, such as cleaning up toxic Superfund sites, enforcing the Clean Water Act, and addressing lead contamination in water systems.
EPA officials have emphasized the importance of creating a more effective and efficient federal government, one that better serves the American people. Administrator Lee Zeldin has suggested that federal agencies across the government will face “headcount reductions,” with a particular focus on ensuring that employees are fully aligned with the Trump administration’s priorities. However, many fear that this could undermine the EPA’s ability to perform its critical work and hurt Americans in the long run.