🧪EPA Director Lee Zeldin fires 1,200 scientists, shuts down toxics research office
Environment
Public Policy
Health Care & Public Health
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin eliminated the Office of Research and Development on July 19, 2025, terminating 1,200 scientists who studied drinking water safety, air pollution, and cancer-causing chemicals. The closure follows Trump's executive order to cut EPA staff by 30% and ends five decades of research that prevented an estimated 200,000 premature deaths annually.
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Key Takeaways
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Why This Matters
Nobody will track 84 new industrial chemicals entering water supplies yearly
Without EPA chemists analyzing emerging contaminants, communities won't know which factories poison their drinking water until cancer clusters appear.
Ten million homes with lead pipes lose all federal monitoring
EPA's lead research team disbanding means no early warning system for the next Flint water crisis affecting your children's brain development.
Childhood asthma rates will spike without air quality research
EPA studies prevented 100,000 pediatric asthma cases annually by identifying pollution sources—now nobody tracks what your kids breathe.
Demand your governor fund independent state environmental labs immediately
Call your statehouse at 8am Monday—without state action, corporate polluters face zero scientific oversight of their toxic releases.
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Detailed Content
1
Categorize these effects of eliminating EPA's research office.
Categorize
Public Policy
3
EPA research prevented _____ premature deaths annually for _____ decades before Zeldin eliminated the _____ scientists responsible.
Fill in Blanks
Health Care & Public Health
4
Match each EPA research area to the health crisis that results from eliminating it.
Matching
Health Care & Public Health
5
Who is the current EPA Administrator implementing the research office closure?
Multiple Choice
Environment
6
What percentage of EPA staff is being cut under Zeldin's plan?
Multiple Choice
Public Policy
8
According to the topic, how many homes with lead pipes lose federal monitoring?
Multiple Choice
Health Care & Public Health
9
When did Zeldin eliminate the Office of Research and Development?
Multiple Choice
Environment
10
How many employees signed the "declaration of dissent" before being put on administrative leave?
Multiple Choice
Ethics & Government Accountability
11
What conservative blueprint guides Zeldin's EPA transformation?
Multiple Choice
Public Policy
12
What was Zeldin's previous political position before becoming EPA Administrator?
Multiple Choice
Government
13
What is the most urgent action citizens can take to protect public health after EPA cuts?
Multiple Choice
Civic Action
14
How should communities respond to losing federal environmental oversight?
Scenario
Environment
15
Why would eliminating EPA research benefit polluting industries while harming public health?
Short Answer
Environment
17
The Office of Research and Development studied drinking water safety and cancer-causing chemicals.
True/False
Health Care & Public Health
18
EPA studies prevented 100,000 pediatric asthma cases annually by identifying pollution sources.
True/False
Health Care & Public Health
19
The topic recommends calling your governor to fund independent state environmental labs.
True/False
Civic Action
20
Zeldin's cuts represent the largest deregulatory action in U.S. history.
True/False
Environment