At the end of last week, more than 1,000 employees at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received distressing news: they could be dismissed immediately. Workers with less than one year of service were notified via email that they had been identified as “probationary/trial period” employees and were at risk of immediate termination.
According to the email, “As a probationary/trial period employee, the agency has the right to immediately terminate you.” The unsettling message has left many EPA employees uncertain about their futures and has sparked widespread fear across the agency.
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Marie Owens Powell, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, which represents approximately 8,500 EPA staffers, confirmed that about 1,100 employees received this notification. While no probationary employees have been let go yet, Powell emphasized that the email had caused significant anxiety among staff. “It was scary for people to receive the message, as you can imagine,” she said. “The agency obviously can dismiss probationary employees, but it has to be for cause.”
The decision to send out these termination notices comes as part of a broader push by the Trump administration to downsize the federal government.
In line with President Trump’s “energy dominance” policy agenda, the EPA is undergoing a reorganization aimed at reducing regulations and realigning resources to focus on energy production and deregulation efforts. This includes a reevaluation of agency functions and staffing, with a particular focus on programs that do not align with the administration’s priorities.
In addition to the layoffs, nearly 200 employees involved in environmental justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives have been placed on administrative leave. These programs, which focus on supporting communities disproportionately impacted by pollution, have been sidelined in the new direction of the EPA, raising concerns about the future of environmental justice within the agency.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, who was confirmed last week, has been tasked with leading the agency’s efforts to roll back regulations enacted under the previous administration, including those aimed at reducing carbon emissions and promoting environmental equity. The restructuring and layoffs are expected to further weaken the EPA’s capacity to address climate change, pollution, and public health issues, particularly for vulnerable populations who rely on the agency’s protective regulations.
The atmosphere within the EPA has become one of fear and uncertainty, as employees are left unsure of their job security and the future of the agency’s work. With critical programs in jeopardy and a shift in focus away from key environmental issues, many are questioning how the agency will continue to fulfill its mission of safeguarding public health and the environment. As these changes unfold, the long-term impact on U.S. environmental policy remains uncertain, and the ripple effects could be felt across the country and beyond.
