Trump's first wave of job cuts to EPA in N.J. and N.Y. not as harsh as elsewhere

The Trump administration’s planned job cuts at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may not be as harsh to the regional office that oversees New Jersey’s 114 federal Superfund sites and other programs.

The buyouts of 30 employees at the EPA's Region 2 office, which serves primarily New Jersey and New York, are far fewer than buyout plans at other regional offices, where more than 150 employees are targeted. The EPA has proposed to cut its total workforce by 8 percent, or 1,200 positions, by September through early retirement and buyout incentives of up to $25,000 per employee.

But a former head of Region 2 and the union that represents more than 700 employees say they expect more staff cuts in the years ahead for an agency that Trump has said is an impediment to economic growth. 

Antony Tseng, president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 3911, says losing even 30 of the office's 787 staffers will have an impact on the day-to-day work the EPA does in New Jersey and New York. 

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"We actually need more people to do our jobs more effectively," said Tseng, an EPA engineer. "Our budget has been stagnant. We've had a hiring freeze for some time. So when this comes along, it's disheartening."

New Jersey has the most Superfund sites in the nation.

Liz Bowman, an EPA spokeswoman, said the buyouts were simply "streamlining and reorganizing" to make the agency work better. 

"This is a process that mirrors what Obama’s EPA did about four years ago, with similar goals of focusing on the skill sets necessary for meeting evolving needs and streamlining functions and activities," she said. 

Catherine McCabe, acting administrator for Region 2, would not comment.

Trump had wanted to cut the EPA by $2.6 billion, which would have eliminated 3,200 jobs. But the House Appropriations Committee passed a bill this month that would cut the agency by $528 million. The House and Senate still have to pass the budget. 

The EPA has already seen its workforce shrink by almost 2.000 in recent years, going from 17,278 employees in 2010 to 15,408 at the start of this year.

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Other regional offices have been hit harder. 

The EPA has asked 159 workers to consider buyouts at its Region 3 office, which serves Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C., according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. That would be one-fifth of the region’s employees.

More than 180 out of 900 employees of EPA Region 5, which serves Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin, received the buyout offer, its union said. 

“EPA wants over 1,200 of us [nationally] to leave to purportedly save money going forward and claiming that they no longer need the positions occupied by staff that have in some cases worked at EPA for over 30 years,” said Michael Mikulka, an EPA engineer and president of the union representing Region 3 employees. “That claim is farcical, and simply is an effort by this administration to undercut the effectiveness of our work to protect your health and the environment.”

Former Region 2 Administrator Judith Enck, who left office in January, said she expects more cuts to come, considering that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has called for 3,200 jobs to be eliminated. "My sense is that Scott Pruitt is going to have massive budget cuts in the years to come," said Enck, who served seven years under President Obama.

Tseng said the 30 buyouts target a range of employees, from scientists to support staff. 

Region 2 oversees most New Jersey Superfund cleanups. It also supports the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in enforcing environmental regulations on air and water quality issues.  Region 2 also serves Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, 

"We're still going over the positions and what the impact would be on each individual program," he said. 

Neither Tseng nor Enck knew why Region 2 was targeted for significantly fewer job losses than other EPA offices.

Enck, who helped institute a similar buyout during her seven-year tenure, said it often targets those with seniority who may have a critical function at the office. "It's a humane way of doing things, but not necessarily the most logical," she said. 

"Region 2 has many bright, dedicated workers, but they're being stretched thin," she said.