Trump administration halts EPA science board meeting as agency faces major research cuts
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency canceled a key science advisory board meeting without explanation, raising concerns amid broader efforts to dismantle its research division and lay off scientists.
Liza Gross reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- The EPA abruptly canceled a scheduled meeting of its Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC), an advisory group that oversees the agency’s scientific research, without rescheduling or explanation.
- Administrator Lee Zeldin is reportedly preparing to dismantle the Office of Research and Development (ORD), the EPA’s only dedicated science branch, risking the loss of vital public health and environmental research.
- Former EPA staff and advisors say the move is part of a broader plan to undermine science-based policy by eliminating independent peer review and slashing scientific workforce capacity.
Key quote:
“It just shows the lack of interest or respect that this administration has for science.”
— Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, former EPA science advisor
Why this matters:
The Office of Research and Development, targeted for downsizing or elimination, is the agency’s central engine for evaluating environmental risks and guiding evidence-based regulation. Peer-reviewed findings from the ORD have shaped everything from smog standards to pesticide safety. Dismantling this capacity would not only gut essential public health protections but also sever the EPA’s ability to enforce laws like the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. Losing independent scientific oversight could open the door to unchecked pollution, particularly in vulnerable communities already burdened by environmental hazards. As fossil fuel industries and chemical manufacturers seek looser regulations, sidelining science weakens the EPA’s mandate and risks turning back decades of progress.
Related: Trump administration moves to dismantle EPA’s science office
