EPA puts employees who tackle pollution in overburdened communities on leave

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put more than 160 workers who tackle pollution in overburdened communities on leave.

The employees were part of the agency’s Office of Environmental Justice, which sought to help people in areas with significant levels of pollution — including minority neighborhoods. 

EPA spokesperson Molly Vaseliou confirmed 168 staff members in the office were placed on leave since “their function did not relate to the agency’s statutory duties or grant work.”

Vaseliou also cited President Trump’s executive order that directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) staff to be put on leave and said the EPA is “in the process of evaluating new structure and organization to ensure we are meeting our mission of protecting human health and the environment for all Americans.”

According to an email sent to staff and obtained by The Hill, employees were told they would still receive salary and benefits, although they could not do their work. 

In addition to the suspensions, a tool known as EJScreen, which showed how pollution data intersected with demographic and income data, was offline as of Friday.

Studies, including those conducted by the EPA, have found that Black Americans in particular face high levels of pollution, and that the disparities they face are more pronounced than disparities faced by the poor. 

Matthew Tejada, a former environmental justice official at the EPA, said the move shows “this administration’s chest thumping about clean air, clean water and clean land is being proven a lie right in front of us.”

“The communities in our country that face the greatest pollution challenges and that need the most help from their government to enjoy the same sort of clean environment that most of us take for granted are being cast aside,” he said. 

Tejada also noted communities that are helped by the office are “facing some of the most dangerous things that human beings can face” such as lead, toxic substances such as “forever chemicals,” and PCBs and radioactive wastes. 

The Senate confirmed former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) to lead the agency late last month.