The Trump administration is moving forward with sweeping job cuts across two major environmental agencies, targeting thousands of positions dedicated to conservation research and pollution enforcement. The Interior Department plans to eliminate over 2,000 jobs, while the EPA has issued new furlough notices as government funding remains stalled.

Court documents reveal that Interior’s cuts were planned before the current government shutdown, contradicting Trump’s claims that layoffs stem from the funding crisis. The hardest-hit agencies include the U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service regional offices, and Bureau of Land Management. These cuts would particularly impact scientific research programs studying toxic contaminants like PFAS “forever chemicals,” Great Lakes ecosystems, and natural disaster preparedness.

At the EPA, staff furloughs continue as agency funding dries up. The administration maintains open offices for pesticide approvals while furloughing employees responsible for air and water quality protection. Trump has characterized environmental programs as “Democrat” initiatives he wants to eliminate, despite many environmental protections dating back to the Republican Nixon era.

Environmental advocates warn these cuts represent a systematic dismantling of crucial public health protections. “The health harms facing American families — cancer, childhood asthma, infertility, organ failure — don’t pause for politics,” said former EPA official Peter Murchie. Conservation groups emphasize that the affected research underpins scientific understanding Americans depend on for clean air, safe water, and protected public lands. The full scope of planned cuts to non-unionized positions remains undisclosed.