UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS • March 18, 2025
The potential elimination of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development would take a huge toll on public health and be a massive giveaway to polluting industries, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). These destructive actions are reportedly part of the Trump administration’s mass layoff strategy. Chitra Kumar, managing director of the Climate and Energy Program at UCS, said, “It would be extremely difficult to set protective health standards without the EPA’s Office of Research and Development, and I think that’s exactly what this administration is aiming for. I am not sure how the EPA could fulfill its legal mandate of public health protection if this plan goes forward.