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Energy & Environment

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The Big Story

EPA targets science research office

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is eliminating a scientific research office known as the Office of Research and Development and firing some of the staffers who work there.

“Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a reduction in force (RIF) as the agency continues its comprehensive restructuring efforts,” the agency said in a press release. “The RIF will impact the Office of Research and Development.”

An EPA spokesperson told The Hill in an email that the agency plans to “eliminate the Office of Research and Development (ORD).”

But that doesn’t necessarily mean the agency’s scientific research will end.

The agency previously announced it would move at least some science into a new office called the Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions (OASES). While the ORD has operated as its own office within the EPA, the OASES will be housed within the office of the administrator.

The EPA said in May the new science office will “align research and put science at the forefront of the agency’s rulemakings and technical assistance to states.”

Critics expressed concerns that moving science into the administrator’s office would make it easier for political influence to taint scientific research.

The EPA says it is getting rid of the ORD to “improve the effectiveness and efficiency of EPA operations and align core statutory requirements with its organizational structure.”

It’s not immediately clear exactly how many staffers are being let go as part of the Friday afternoon announcement.

The press release states the agency had 16,155 employees in January and will be down to 12,448 staffers. It said that 3,201 took a buyout and an additional 280 were notified they would be fired amid a push to oust employees who worked on tackling pollution in underserved and minority communities.

That leaves 226 workers, but it’s not clear if all of those people will be let go as part of the agency’s latest move.

Read more at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I’m Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

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Essential Reads

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

Trump exempts more than 100 polluters from environmental standards

Full Story

The Trump administration is exempting dozens of chemical manufacturers, oil refineries, coal plants, medical device sterilizers and other polluters from Clean Air Act rules.

Texas ‘economic miracle’ crashes into new reality of extreme weather

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas leaders’ dreams of unlimited development and a rush of artificial intelligence data centers are on a collision course with a new reality of extreme weather, as this month’s flash floods hammer a landscape plagued by long-term drought.

Full Story

Utah governor warns wildfires are worse than last year — and most are human-caused

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) warned this week that his state is enduring one of the most active fire seasons in recent memory — and that humans have been responsible for most of the blazes.

Full Story

What We’re Reading

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

Mega law has big money for fossil fuels. Some Republicans aren’t happy about it. (E&E News)
Chevron completes Hess acquisition after defeating Exxon in dispute over Guyana oil assets (CNBC)
US wetlands ‘restored’ using treated sewage tainted with forever chemicals (The Guardian)

On Our Radar

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

Next Week:

The House may vote on a bill that could loosen water pollution restrictions and resolutions to overturn Biden-era resource management plans for federal lands

Tuesday

The House Appropriations Committee will do a full committee markup of a bill to fund the Interior Department and EPA
The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on permitting and the National Environmental Policy Act
The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on pipeline safety policy
The House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing titled “The New Atomic Age: Advancing America’s Energy Future”

Wednesday

Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson will appear before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for a hearing on improvements to FEMA
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing “to identify challenges to meeting increased electricity demand”

Thursday

The House Appropriations Committee will do a full committee markup of legislation to fund the Commerce Department

What Others are Reading

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Trump’s latest executive order creates new classification of federal employees

President Trump penned an executive order Thursday to form a new classification of noncareer federal employees who will be hired to “help faithfully implement the President’s policy agenda.” Read more

Durbin: FBI agents were told to ‘flag’ Epstein records that mentioned Trump

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says he has received information that Attorney General Pam Bondi “pressured” about 1,000 FBI personnel to comb through tens of thousands of pages of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and flag any mention of President Trump. Read more