In Michigan’s most polluted ZIP code, near the Marathon Petroleum Detroit refinery, residents contend daily with hazardous emissions from the refinery itself, surrounding industrial zones, and the relentless flow of 10,000 trucks along Interstate 75. This environmental burden exemplifies a growing national concern as federal efforts to protect public health face severe setbacks.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is undergoing dramatic budget cuts and restructuring under Administrator Lee Zellin’s plan to slash the agency’s funding by 65%. Central to these changes is the dismantling of the EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD), which employs hundreds of scientists dedicated to studying environmental toxins and their health impacts. The plan calls for cutting 50% to 75% of ORD staff, with remaining personnel reassigned elsewhere.
Scientists and public health advocates warn these cuts could cripple the EPA’s capacity to safeguard fundamental rights such as clean air, safe drinking water, and healthy communities. ORD’s scientists, including biologists, toxicologists, epidemiologists, and engineers, provide essential research that underpins enforcement of laws like the Clean Air Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. Their work offers critical data and regulatory guidance on hazardous waste management and emerging pollutants.
Jennifer Sass, senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), cautions that the erosion of EPA research risks creating a “dangerous vacuum” potentially filled by industry-funded studies biased toward polluters’ interests.
Among ORD’s key contributions is its research into harmful substances such as formaldehyde and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as “forever chemicals.” These studies have revealed greater health risks than previously understood, especially for vulnerable populations like children and those with respiratory illnesses. Last year’s EPA decision to limit six PFAS chemicals in drinking water was largely based on ORD’s findings.
However, recent plans to repeal or delay restrictions on other PFAS compounds and eliminate research capacities raise alarms. Without ORD, monitoring and controlling hundreds of PFAS variants in the environment will become nearly impossible.
Critics also point out that transferring research responsibilities to individual states is unrealistic. Many states lack the expertise and resources to replicate the EPA’s comprehensive scientific efforts, leaving regulatory enforcement weakened.
Moreover, diminished federal research funding may push scientists toward private industry partnerships, heightening risks of conflicts of interest. Historical examples, such as tobacco industry-funded misinformation campaigns, underscore the dangers of relying on profit-driven science to assess public health risks.
In Congress, members of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee have denounced the ORD cuts as a “disaster” that threatens to undermine the EPA’s legal mandates. The proposed layoffs affect more than 1,500 scientists and staff nationwide, jeopardizing critical research and community support functions.
As the EPA’s research arm shrinks, public health experts warn that the nation will lose vital knowledge needed to detect, understand, and control environmental hazards. The result could be a weakening of protections that millions rely on for clean air and water, with far-reaching consequences for health and the economy.
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