In the midst of an investigation into a group of employees who allegedly used their official titles and EPA positions to sign a letter, the EPA recently put around 140 people on administrative leave.
The letter, allegedly sent by agency workers, included details that the public was lead to believe were agency operations, according to officials.
It has been verified by the EPA that 139 workers have been put on administrative leave while an inquiry is underway.
“The Environmental Protection Agency has a zero-tolerance policy for career bureaucrats unlawfully undermining, sabotaging and undercutting the administration’s agenda as voted for by the great people of this country last November,” a spokeswoman for the agency told AWN Digital on Thursday.
The letter was sent following the termination or reassignment of over 500 EPA staff in April by the Trump administration.
280 employees were let go from the Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights Office, the Office of Inclusive Excellence, and the EPA’s regional offices, according to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.
Additionally, 175 others were reassigned, as Zeldin mentioned.
While reducing over 30 rules from the Biden administration, Zeldin also dismantled the Environmental Justice and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) divisions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Despite the allegations of over a hundred employees being placed on leave, the organization employs thousands of people.
No more details on the matter were provided to AWN Digital by the EPA.
