The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled the next phase of a significant organizational restructuring initiative, designed to enhance the agency’s ability to provide clean air, water, and land for all Americans. The changes impact several key offices, including the Office of the Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), and Office of Water.
According to an agency announcement Friday, the reorganization follows President Trump’s Executive Order, “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative,” which aimed to transform the federal bureaucracy.
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EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated, “With these organizational improvements, we recommit to fulfilling all of our statutory obligations and exceptionally delivering on EPA’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment. This reorganization will bring much needed efficiencies to incorporate science into our rulemakings and sharply focus our work on providing the cleanest air, land, and water for our communities. It will also save at least $300 million annually for the American people.” The agency posits these changes will “directly benefit the American people and better advance the agency’s core mission, while Powering the Great American Comeback.”
A notable change within the Office of Air and Radiation is the creation of the Office of State Air Partnerships. This new office will focus on collaboration with state, local, and tribal air permitting agencies to streamline the processing of State Implementation Plans and address permitting concerns. The EPA anticipates this will foster national consistency in addressing air permitting issues. Additionally, the Office of Clean Air Programs is being established to align statutory obligations and mission-essential functions based on centers of expertise, aiming for greater transparency and harmony in regulatory development.
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Similarly, the Office of Water will undergo changes to better align the development of regulations, guidance, and policy with underlying scientific data. The agency is also elevating the focus on cybersecurity, emergency response, and water reuse and conservation to ensure these critical areas receive adequate resources.
The restructuring also involves shifting scientific expertise and research efforts into program offices to directly support statutory obligations and mission-essential functions. This includes the formation of the Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions (OASES) within the Office of the Administrator, intended to integrate research and prioritize science in rulemakings and technical assistance to states.
Specifically, OCSPP is slated to receive over 130 scientific, technical, bioinformatic, and information technology experts. These personnel will reportedly address backlogs in the review of over 504 new chemicals that have exceeded statutory timelines and more than 12,000 pesticide reviews that are past their expected completion dates. The EPA also indicated that this process will provide tools to advance a PFAS testing strategy to enhance understanding of PFAS and its impacts on human health and the environment. The organizational improvements are expected to provide OCSPP with enhanced capabilities, including the use of computational, bioinformatic, and potentially artificial intelligence tools to streamline chemical and pesticide reviews.
The EPA projects this phase of reorganization will result in annual savings of over $300 million by Fiscal Year 2026. This is part of a broader effort to restructure the agency, with the ultimate goal of achieving employment levels similar to those during President Ronald Reagan’s administration.
Earlier this year, the EPA announced the termination of the Environmental Justice (EJ) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) arms of the agency. This action involved a Reduction in Force affecting approximately 280 DEI and EJ employees, while 175 employees performing statutory obligations and mission-essential functions were transferred to other offices.
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