Recently, President Donald Trump has made significant cuts to the staff at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. This office is currently looking into various complaints about environmental discrimination, particularly cases involving large animal farming operations in predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods.
As part of these staffing cuts, 168 employees have been placed on leave after an executive order halted diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. An anonymous employee shared their concern about this decision, stating, “This administration will set environmental justice efforts back substantially.”
The Office of Environmental Justice works to investigate claims of discrimination related to environmental issues affecting people based on their race, gender, and more. EPA spokesperson Molly Vaseliou emphasized that the agency is adapting to the new executive orders, stating that many employees were placed on leave due to their roles not aligning with the agency’s core missions.
Jen Duggan, head of the Environmental Integrity Project, criticized these changes, saying they would likely lead to increased pollution burdens on vulnerable communities. She pointed out that EPA regulations historically save lives and reduce public health costs. “People suffering from pollution deserve protection, not the corporations profiting from harm,” she stressed.
Currently, there are 34 cases under review at the office. Two complaints highlight concerns about the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality permitting industrial swine and poultry operations in areas with high minority populations. Local residents, including Lumbee tribe members and environmental advocates, claim that these operations have led to increased pollution in their communities.
Another complaint, dating back to 2021, addresses issues of waste from large hog farms polluting air and water. It alleges that the state agency did not properly consider existing pollution when granting permits for biogas production. Critics argue that this biogas system mainly supports industrial agriculture without effectively reducing methane emissions.
In addition to these complaints, there are ongoing petitions against various agencies for failing to protect marginalized communities from industrial pollution.
The Office of Environmental Justice also provides grants and resources to help these communities. Under the Biden administration, the office saw an increase in funding for environmental justice initiatives, allocating $2 billion to support underserved areas facing pollution challenges.
However, with the recent staffing cuts, employees fear that the communities they serve will struggle to access vital resources and information. There are concerns that cases may be closed without proper attention and that the office’s public tools, like the EJScreen database, which tracks environmental impacts on various communities, are at risk of being shut down.
As federal agencies face sweeping changes, many employees report being restricted access to essential systems and data, raising further concerns about the future of environmental justice efforts across the country.
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