Why the EPA is removing environmental justice offices? Closures are in response to Trump's orders on DEI
- The EPA is eliminating its environmental justice offices nationwide.
- EPA head Lee Zeldin cites President Trump's executive order on ending "radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferences."
- The EPA plans to cut 65% of its budget, including staffing reductions.
The Environmental Protection Agency is closing all environmental justice offices in the United States.
A new memo from the agency's leader, Lee Zeldin, shows that the EPA will remove any offices responsible for addressing the high levels of pollution facing poor communities.
Zeldin said this action is in response to President Trump's executive order on "ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferences " and two other executive actions.
The agency will reorganize and eliminate environmental justice divisions within the 10 EPA regional offices and place all employees within these divisions on administrative leave.
Here's what to know about the agency.
EPA cutting employees
Last month, Trump mentioned the EPA's plans to cut employees in his first cabinet meeting.
"I spoke with Lee Zeldin, and he thinks he's going to be cutting 65 – or so – percent of the people from environmental, and we're going to speed up the process too at the same time," Trump said during the meeting.
A White House official later confirmed that the president meant there would be 65% overall spending cuts, including staffing reductions.
What does the EPA do?
The Environmental Protection Agency's mission is to protect human health and the environment. The agency was first formed in 1970 under former President Richard Nixon.
The EPA works to develop and enforce regulations, give grants for environmental programs, study ecological issues, educate about the environment and report about their activities.
It has established things like the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Food Quality Protection Act.
Tennessee is a part of region four within the agency. Region 4 is based in Atlanta and covers Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.
What does the office of environmental justice do?
According to its website, the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights provides leadership on EPA’s environmental justice and external civil rights initiatives.
The agency coordinates the implementation of initiatives across the agency and across partnerships with other federal agencies and coregulators in state, tribal, and local government and communities. The department enforces federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination based on race or national origin, sex, disability or age by those receiving financial assistance from the EPA.