In a rare and powerful move, nearly 300 current and recently laid-off employees of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have sent a bold letter to Administrator Lee Zeldin, warning that the Trump administration is “ignoring the scientific consensus to benefit polluters” and putting the health of Americans and the environment in danger. This public declaration of dissent is one of the strongest challenges ever made by agency staff against their own leadership.
The letter comes at a time when the EPA is facing major upheaval—another round of job cuts is expected, and a sweeping reorganization is underway.
This includes the elimination of the agency’s research office and the cancellation of billions in grant funding. The restructuring will merge several key offices, all in line with President Trump’s executive orders to cut regulations and boost fossil fuel production.
What the Letter Says
The EPA staff’s letter is a direct challenge to the Trump administration’s approach. “Today, we unite in opposition to the current administration’s emphasis on damaging deregulation, misrepresentation of prior EPA initiatives, and neglect of scientific knowledge,”
wrote the 278 EPA employees who signed the document, including 174 who put their full names to it. More than 100 others signed anonymously, fearing retaliation for speaking out.
The letter lists five main concerns:
- Partisan Language and Misinformation: EPA communications are being used to spread misinformation and push political agendas, not science. For example, official statements have compared “climate science to a religion.”
- Ignoring Scientific Assessments: Decisions are being made that go against the agency’s own expert research and peer-reviewed findings.
- Abandoning Environmental Justice: Funding and support for programs that help marginalized and vulnerable communities are being slashed.
- Dismantling Research: The Office of Research and Development is being dissolved, and billions in grants are being cancelled.
- Culture of Fear: Many staff are afraid to speak out, worried about losing their jobs or facing other consequences.
“Your decisions and actions will reverberate for generations to come,” the letter warns. “Under your direction, the EPA will fail to safeguard communities from dangerous chemicals and unsafe drinking water, instead heightening risks to public health and safety.”
Since its founding in 1970, the EPA has been a guardian of public health and the environment, relying on science, funding, and expert staff to do its job. Now, staff say the agency is not living up to its ideals.
“I’m really sad. This agency, that was a superhero for me in my youth, we’re not living up to our ideals under this administration. And I really want us to,” said Amelia Hertzberg, an environmental protection specialist at the EPA who has been on administrative leave since February as her department is being closed down.
Under Administrator Lee Zeldin, the EPA has moved to lift environmental regulations, boost fossil fuel production, and cut clean energy spending.
Zeldin has praised these moves as good for the economy and American jobs. In March, he described recent policy changes as “the greatest day of deregulation our nation has seen.”
He also said, “We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion to drive down cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring auto jobs back to the US and more.”
This is not an isolated protest. Earlier this month, employees at the National Institutes of Health sent a similar letter to their director, protesting the politicization of research and the disruption of scientific progress.
Quote of the Day
“Make no mistake: your actions endanger public health and erode scientific progress—not only in America—but around the world.”
— EPA Employees’ Declaration of Dissent
Looking Ahead
The EPA staff’s letter is a warning to the American public and to leaders in Washington. Ignoring science and sidelining experts will have real consequences: more pollution, more health problems, and a weaker America on the world stage.
The signers hope their bold stand will spark a national conversation about the importance of science-based policy and the need to protect both people and the planet. As the letter puts it, “Your decisions and actions will reverberate for generations to come.”
The EPA staff’s letter is a rare and courageous act of dissent. It highlights the growing concern among scientists and experts that the Trump administration is putting politics before public health and the environment. With the agency’s research office being dismantled, funding slashed, and a culture of fear taking hold, the future of environmental protection in America hangs in the balance. The letter is a call to action—for leaders to listen to science, protect communities, and restore the EPA’s mission for generations to come.
