The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Friday it plans to reduce its workforce by 23% and close its research and development office. (Getty)
As part of the restructuring, the EPA said it plans to open a new Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions to replace the Office of Research and Development, saying the new office would allow it to focus on research "more than ever before."
This comes a week after the Supreme Court issued a ruling clearing the way for the administration to conduct mass layoffs.
Justin Chen, president of American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, which represents thousands of EPA employees, called the research and development office the "heart and brain of the EPA."
The loss of more than 3,000 employees comes after layoffs and incentives to leave the agency as part of the Trump administration’s broad effort to streamline the federal government. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
This announcement also comes two weeks after 139 employees signed a "declaration of dissent" claiming the Trump administration was hurting the agency’s mission.
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The administration claimed the employees were "unlawfully undermining" the president’s agenda.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/epa-announces-workforce-reduction-closure-research-office-part-federal-streamlining