Official: Trump plans to slash EPA workforce, budget
Former member of transition team wants to halve staff numbers at environment agency, cut $1 billion from budget
WASHINGTON (AP) — The former head of President Donald Trump’s transition team at the Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday he expected the new administration to seek significant budget and staff cuts.
Myron Ebell left the transition team last week. Ebell said in an interview with The Associated Press that his specific proposals to the White House remain confidential.
But asked what he personally would like to see, Ebell replied that slashing the agency workforce by half would be a good start.
Ebell predicted the president may seek to cut about $1 billion from the EPA’s $8 billion annual budget. He also said Trump likely will seek significant reductions to the agency’s workforce of about 15,000 employees.
The transition staff at EPA has mandated a temporary media blackout and a freeze on contracts and grants.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.