A National Park Service sign on the side of a brick building.

Budget plan slashes science and staffing at EPA, NOAA, and Park Service

President Trump’s detailed budget blueprint proposes steep staffing and program cuts across environmental agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Park Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), targeting science, disaster response, and clean energy.

Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.

In short:

The EPA would see a 35% payroll cut for its science and environmental staff, with an additional 33% reduction in science and technology activities and 18% in program management.
The National Park Service faces a 30% staff reduction in park operations, and NOAA would lose 28% of its operations, research, and facilities staff payroll while its Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research is eliminated entirely.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) also face cuts, including a 32% reduction in FEMA’s federal assistance and a proposed shutdown of the DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.

Key quote:

“This sick joke of a budget is a nonstarter. In no way can America continue to lead if Trump continues his vendetta against the scientific enterprise.”

— Rep. Zoe Lofgren, top Democrat on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee

Why this matters:

Slashing federal investment in environmental and scientific agencies ripples into the daily lives of Americans. Dismantling research offices or gutting staff makes it harder to prepare for and respond to disasters, manage public lands, and advance cleaner, safer technologies. The proposed budget would also stall or reverse progress on climate and energy research, sidelining efforts to reduce pollution, lower energy costs, and protect ecosystems. Past budget attempts like this haven’t fully materialized, but this one comes with new signals that the administration may push harder to drastically reshape government oversight of environmental and public health protections.

thehill.com

Budget plan slashes science and staffing at EPA, NOAA, and Park Service

Nordic homes are being warmed by waste heat from massive data centers

Some craft stores changing lives by upcycling waste into purposeful projects

Building homes that can survive wildfires

Locals challenge Oregon landfill’s toxic reach and corporate control

San Francisco turned a coastal highway into a park. Locals are still arguing about it.

Climate change is emptying forests of insects, even in places we thought were safe

Trump moves to rewrite the rules of science — literally

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.