NATIONWIDE— On Thursday, July 3 the Trump Administration placed 139 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers on investigatory administrative leave in retaliation for signing a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin voicing concern for administration policies that undermine the EPA’s mission of protecting human health and the environment.
In response, Justin Chen, President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 238, issued the following statement:
“As civil servants, it’s our professional duty to alert management when public health and safety are at risk, and the 139 workers who were placed on administrative leave had every legal right to do just that.
“This letter wasn’t an act of insubordination, it was a plea to Administrator Zeldin to uphold his oath and reverse course on the dangerous direction the EPA is heading in. We’re witnessing a willful disregard for scientific consensus, the reversal of decades of vital environmental regulations, the dismantling of the EPA’s crucial research arm, and a pervasive culture of fear taking hold across the agency. Instead of listening to these concerns and engaging in dialogue, the Trump Administration chose to retaliate, aiming to intimidate and silence those brave enough to sound the alarm.
“We will not stand by and allow our members to be punished for honoring their oath to protect and serve the American public. AFGE Council 238 intends to protect its members to the fullest extent of the law and our contract and demands the immediate return of all employees placed on administrative leave to their regular duties and an end to frivolous investigations.
“This isn’t merely an attack on the EPA workforce; it’s a direct assault on every American’s right to a safe and clean environment. The EPA’s mission and the rights of American workers are non-negotiable, and we will not be intimidated into silence.”