CBS 17 by Hannah Leyva and Russ Bowen

The Trump administration’s plan to cut as many as 1,100 jobs from the Environmental Protection Agency could have a major impact on workers in central North Carolina.

The agency’s Office of Research and Development is located in Research Triangle Park. With over 2,000 full-time federal employees, the RTP office is the largest EPA facility in the country.

Congresswomen Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Valerie Foushee (NC-04), both ranking members of the U.S. House’s Science, Space, and Technology Committee, said Trump’s plan to dismiss potentially hundreds of scientists and researchers would be harmful.

“Scientific researchers at EPA have dedicated their careers to serving the American people and solving some of our most complex environmental problems,” said Congresswoman Ross, pledging to work to combat the effects of the decision. “In North Carolina, these committed federal employees are helping us combat PFAS contamination, address air quality, and more … Eliminating EPA’s research arm will put people and our environment in danger.”

According to the Associated Press, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has previously said he wants to eliminate 65% of the agency’s budget, which would require cutting jobs of employees whose responsibilities include monitoring air and water quality, lead abatement and responding to natural disasters.

“The Office of Research and Development is vital to understanding and addressing environmental risks, and gutting its workforce hinders our ability to properly address and react to these risks,” Congresswoman Foushee said. “North Carolina’s Fourth District has long been at the forefront of the EPA’s critical work to ensure proper research and regulations are in place to deliver clean air, water, and land for all Americans, and these workforce cuts will be felt throughout our region.”

There is no word yet on exactly how many jobs will be cut from the EPA’s RTP facility, but the AP reports that a memo said a majority of the Office of Research and Development’s staff nationwide — ranging from 50% to 75% — “will not be retained.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Link to full article: https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/wake-county-news/federal-job-cuts-could-hit-epas-rtp-facility-hard/