EPA tells some scientific research staffers to relocate [View all]

Source: The Hill

04/10/26 6:11 PM ET


The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making some of its staffers relocate and reassigning an even larger share of employees as part of its efforts to reorganize its scientific research. The agency is reassigning a total of 124 staffers, 35 of whom are being asked to relocate.

The move comes as the Trump administration seeks to eliminate its Office of Research and Development and instead conduct scientific research in a new office housed within the office of the administrator.

An EPA spokesperson said via email Thursday that as part of the restructure, the agency “has issued reassignment notices to those employees who remain in the Office of Research and Development.” The spokesperson said that the restructuring includes “integration of scientific expertise” into its other offices.

A union representing many EPA employees criticized the relocation and reassignment notices, saying the relocation in particular could cause some staffers to leave the agency and hamper its ability to conduct scientific research. “It’s a pretty high likelihood that many of these people will just choose not to relocate and then have their jobs terminated,” said Justin Chen, president of American Federation of Government Employees Council 238.

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5826488-environmental-protection-agency-reorganizes-scientific-research/