EPA formalizes end of research office as collapse in scientific output is documented

By March 2026, the EPA had formally completed the dissolution of ORD with the publication of a final reorganization notice. The American Chemical Society documented an 82 percent drop in EPA scientific output compared to pre-reorganization levels, with peer-reviewed publications, toxicity assessments, and Integrated Science Assessments either halted or delayed indefinitely. Legal scholars at Harvard and Columbia warned that the loss of a robust scientific record would expose EPA rules to Administrative Procedure Act challenges, making it harder to defend environmental standards in federal court.