Employees at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are worried about their jobs after a meeting on Wednesday. Senior leaders informed staff that President Trump’s recent executive order, titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” led to the closure of the agency’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) office. This order may also mean the end of the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights.
Since January 22, staff from the DEI office have been on administrative leave. Employees in the Office of Environmental Justice were warned they might soon receive similar notifications. It remains unclear if they will also be placed on leave or if some may face immediate termination.
The Office of Environmental Justice plays a vital role in helping communities affected by environmental pollution. It ensures these communities have fair access to a clean and healthy environment while upholding federal civil rights laws.
Matthew Tejada, a former deputy assistant administrator at the Office of Environmental Justice, said the atmosphere among staff is tense. “There were a lot of rumors all day. The staff is freaked out and anxious,” he noted.
A current employee, who wished to remain anonymous, shared that a meeting lasted two and a half hours to navigate the order’s implications. However, clarity on next steps will come only with official notices. The confusion about the future is palpable. Recently, EPA employees received an email about a chance for deferred resignations, giving them until February 6 to leave their roles. Yet, some employees, especially those in probationary periods, worry about being let go immediately without the option for leave.
About 250 people work in the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, located in Washington, D.C., and across the country. News of potential job cuts is particularly distressing for Tejada, who said, “I hired all of them.” Now, he’s concerned about the impact of closing this office. He believes it could lead to more pollution and health risks in already vulnerable communities.
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