EPA faces major cuts as Trump unveils spending slash plans
The Donald Trump administration is fulfilling its pre-election promises to cut federal spending, with a focus on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Over 1,000 agency employees might lose their jobs due to the planned cuts.
The EPA is a U.S. government organization mainly involved in environmental protection. In the automotive world, it is primarily known for its detailed range and efficiency tests of vehicles offered on the American market. However, several indications suggest that the agency's role could be reduced under Trump’s administration.
The Trump administration has taken measures to decrease the number of federal employees, which could weaken the EPA. Many EPA employees hired in the last year received information that they are in a "probationary period" and may be dismissed at any time. This message served as a harsh reminder that their positions are not guaranteed, sparking fears of widespread layoffs.
The President of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents about 8,500 EPA employees, confirmed in an interview with NBC News that around 1,100 people received such notices. However, she also noted that none of these employees have been dismissed so far.
"It was scary for people to receive the message, as you can imagine, and we’re inundated with questions from those folks. The agency obviously can dismiss probationary employees, but it has to be for cause," she said.
It is unclear how many jobs the Trump administration plans to eliminate at the EPA, but employees are among many federal officials who have been offered severance packages.
Not only have the EPA employees been targeted, but the organization has also been. Trump has frozen grants and allocations for the EPA, and the effects of this freeze are already being felt.
