The #HeritageFoundation, a *conservative* research organization, had criticized the #EPA’s #science office in #Project2025, a blueprint for overhauling the federal government. The group had accused the office of being “bloated, unaccountable, closed, outcome-driven, hostile to public & legislative input, & inclined to pursue political rather than purely scientific goals.” [total bullshit]

“It is dismantling a world-class organization, & the American people are not going to be well served by this,” said Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, who worked at the #EPA for 40 years & led the #research office under the first #Trump admin. “These actions are very shortsighted, & the way they’re going about it is very callous & very cruel.”

…The American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, a #union that represents more than 8,000 #EPA workers, slammed Friday’s announcement.

The #science office “is the heart & brain of the EPA,” said Justin Chen, president of #AFGE Council 238. “Without it, we don’t have the means to assess impacts upon human #health & the #environment. Its destruction will devastate #PublicHealth in our country.”

…The #EPA’s #science office provides the independent #research that underpins nearly all of the agency’s policies & #regulations. It has analyzed the risks of hazardous chemicals, the impact of #wildfire smoke on #PublicHealth & the contamination of drinking water by hydraulic fracturing, or #fracking. Its research has often justified stricter environmental rules, prompting pushback from chemical manufacturers & other industries.

Before the memo, there were already extra review processes in place to publishing #research conducted with people from the four countries, Roberts said.

"We don't have the talent now to progress on these research projects. It's setting us back by years, if not decades," he said.

The #ARS conducts #research on #agriculture topics like #pests, #FoodSafety & #ClimateChange that are high-priority to American #farmers. The agency has lost about 1,200 employees, more than 17% of its 2024 staffing level, to terminations & voluntary incentives to quit offered by the #Trump admin.

Some arrived to work on July 9 to find their badges no longer worked, Henderson said.

Because of a #federal #HiringFreeze that has been extended through October 15, the #USDA will not be able to replace the fired staff & will need to halt ongoing #scientific work that benefits #farmers, like a project to develop a #vaccine for a deadly #toxin that occurs in undercooked #beef, he said.

The contractors had worked at the #Agricultural Research Service, the in-house #research arm of the #USDA, said Thomas Henderson, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1657, which represents #ARS workers in Albany, California.

Most of those dismissed were Chinese post-doctoral researchers on 2-year contracts w/the agency, & who were already subject to vetting before being hired, Henderson said.

"Want to know what really kills innovation? #BrainDrain. And nothing drives brain drain like encroaching #fascism...

The #UnitedStates became the global #innovation leader in part because... we had something other countries didn’t: a stable, democratic system where merit mattered more than connections, where you could build something without worrying that tomorrow’s political winds might destroy everything you’ve worked for.

But that’s been trashed."