• The EPA has placed 139 employees on leave after they signed a letter criticizing Trump's environmental policies.
• The letter, titled "Declaration of Dissent," alleges harmful deregulation and promotes a culture of fear within the agency.
• There are concerns over agency reorganization and funding cuts impacting environmental initiatives.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has placed 139 employees on administrative leave after they signed a letter that criticized the Trump administration’s environmental policies. This letter, titled "Declaration of Dissent," particularly condemned the administration for engaging in "harmful deregulation" and "ignoring scientific consensus to benefit polluters." Furthermore, it expressed that the agency was fostering a culture of fear among its employees, as they feared retaliation for voicing concerns over policy changes, according to CBS News and The Jakarta Post.

The EPA has characterized this administrative leave as part of its "zero-tolerance policy" for employees allegedly sabotaging the government's agenda. An agency spokesperson stated that the employees were placed in a "temporary, non-duty, paid status" for the next two weeks pending an investigation, clarifying that this action is not necessarily disciplinary, according to Reuters and HuffPost.

More than 170 employees had signed the public version of the letter, which reportedly removed their names later due to fears of repercussions. The letter's release coincided with significant restructuring within the EPA, which included the dissolution of its office of research and cancellation of funding for many grants aimed at environmental protection in vulnerable communities, reports India Times and HuffPost.

The EPA is facing criticism from both within and outside for its approach to environmental regulations under Administrator Lee Zeldin. Recent reports suggest that the agency is prioritizing fossil fuel development and deregulation over public health and environmental justice, which has raised serious concerns regarding its future direction, as outlined in information from The Jakarta Post and Reuters.