The Environmental Protection Agency’s workforce has fallen to roughly 12,700 employees in 2026, a 24% cut from January 2025 levels and the lowest staffing total since the Reagan administration. The agency has also finalized the repeal of its 2009 endangerment finding, the legal foundation for federal greenhouse gas regulation, in what Administrator Lee Zeldin called the largest deregulatory action in American history.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Introduction
The Environmental Protection Agency has undergone one of the most dramatic transformations in its 55-year history over the course of 2025 and 2026, combining deep staffing reductions, a contested budget fight, and the repeal of the scientific finding that underpins decades of federal climate regulation. Founded in 1970, the agency’s workforce has now fallen below levels last seen when Ronald Reagan occupied the White House, even as Congress ultimately rejected the administration’s most severe proposed budget cuts.
The scale of regulatory change has been just as significant as the staffing reductions. Administrator Lee Zeldin identified 31 separate environmental rules for potential rollback or repeal in March 2025, and by February 2026 the agency had finalized what officials describe as its single largest deregulatory action: the rescission of the 2009 endangerment finding that classified greenhouse gases as a threat to public health. Understanding exactly how EPA’s workforce, budget, and regulatory footprint have changed offers a clear picture of an agency operating under a fundamentally different mandate than at any point in the past four decades.
Interesting Facts about Environmental Protection Agency 2026
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| EPA Staffing (2026) | ~12,700 to 12,849 employees |
| Staffing Cut Since January 2025 | ~24% (more than 3,900 employees) |
| Staffing Level Comparison | Lowest since the Reagan administration (1980s) |
| FY2025 Actual Budget | $9.14 billion |
| FY2026 Enacted Budget Cut | 4.0%, signed January 23, 2026 |
| Endangerment Finding Repeal | Finalized February 12, 2026 |
| Estimated Annual Savings Claimed From Repeal | $1.3 trillion |
| 2026 Deregulatory Rules Tracked (YTD) | 74 rules, $1.2 trillion in claimed savings |
Source: Environmental Protection Network, Office of Personnel Management, American Action Forum, EPA official statements
These interesting facts about the EPA in 2026 capture an agency reshaped simultaneously from the inside and the outside. The workforce reduction to roughly 12,700 employees represents a 24% cut from January 2025 staffing levels, a pace of loss more than double the rate seen across the rest of the federal government during the same period.
The February 2026 repeal of the endangerment finding stands as the defining regulatory event of the year, eliminating the legal foundation the agency had used since 2009 to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, power plants, and other major pollution sources, a change officials say alone accounts for the bulk of the $1.3 trillion in claimed cumulative deregulatory savings tracked since the start of the administration.
EPA Staffing Cuts in 2026
| Date | EPA Staffing Level | Change From January 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | ~16,115 | Baseline |
| September 2025 | 12,198 | -3,917 (-24.3%) |
| End of January 2026 | 12,849 | -24% |
| May 2026 | ~12,700 | ~-3,000 from FY2025 levels |
| 1984 (Reagan era comparison) | ~11,400 | Historical reference point |
| 1988 (end of Reagan era) | 14,442 | Historical reference point |
Source: Environmental Protection Network (FOIA’d EPA staffing plan), Office of Personnel Management workforce data
EPA staffing has fallen further and faster than almost any other federal agency since January 2025. Internal agency planning documents obtained via FOIA request showed staffing had already dropped to 12,198 by September 2025, a loss of 3,917 positions, or roughly 24%, from the level recorded at the start of the year. Official OPM workforce data confirmed the trend continued into 2026, with the agency’s end-of-January headcount standing at 12,849, a reduction described by researchers as more than double the proportional rate of job losses seen across the broader federal workforce during the same window.
That current staffing level puts the EPA below the workforce it maintained even during the Reagan administration, when the agency employed roughly 11,400 to 14,442 people depending on the specific year measured. Climate Change Statistics tracking the broader environmental backdrop against which these cuts have occurred show a period of record global temperatures and rising CO2 concentrations coinciding directly with the agency’s reduced capacity to monitor and respond to those trends. Proportionally, the reductions have fallen hardest on the agency’s scientific workforce, with union estimates suggesting 25% to 30% of eliminated positions were science-related roles, alongside disproportionate losses among staff holding doctorate degrees and those working in public health occupations.
EPA Budget in 2026
| Budget Year | Figure | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 (actual, enacted) | $9.14 billion | Pre-cut baseline |
| FY2026 (initial administration request) | $4.16 billion | Proposed 54% cut |
| FY2026 (actual enacted budget) | -4.0% | Signed January 23, 2026, after bipartisan negotiation |
| FY2027 (administration request) | Cut of “more than half” | Plus 200 additional employee reductions proposed |
| Proposed FY2026 Target Workforce (administration) | 12,856 FTE | Would have been lowest in 40 years if enacted |
Source: EPA Budget in Brief documents, Holland & Knight budget analysis, congressional appropriations records
The gap between the administration’s proposed EPA budget cuts and what Congress actually enacted illustrates how much political resistance the agency’s overhaul has faced despite its scale. The administration’s initial fiscal year 2026 request sought to slash EPA’s budget from $9.14 billion to $4.16 billion, a reduction of roughly 54%, alongside a workforce cap of 12,856 full-time employees, which officials said would represent the lowest staffing level in 40 years. Congress ultimately rejected the most severe elements of that request, and the bipartisan appropriations law signed on January 23, 2026, cut the agency’s operating budget by a far more modest 4.0% instead.
Despite that congressional pushback, staffing reductions had already occurred through attrition, buyouts, and reorganization well before the final budget was signed, meaning the agency’s actual headcount losses closely tracked the administration’s original target even though Congress did not formally approve cuts of that magnitude. The fiscal year 2027 budget request signals the administration intends to revisit the more aggressive cuts, proposing to reduce EPA funding by more than half again alongside 200 additional employee reductions, setting up another likely confrontation with congressional appropriators later in the year.
The Endangerment Finding Repeal in 2026
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Zeldin Calls for Endangerment Finding Rewrite | March 2025 |
| EPA Formally Proposes Repeal | July 2025 |
| Public Comment Period Closes | September 22, 2025 |
| Repeal Finalized | February 12, 2026 |
| Vehicle Emission Standards Eliminated | Model years 2012 through 2027 “and beyond” |
| Claimed Annual Savings | $1.3 trillion |
Source: EPA official statements, Chemical & Engineering News, Associated Press
The repeal of the 2009 endangerment finding, finalized on February 12, 2026, represents the single most consequential regulatory action the EPA has taken under the current administration. The original finding, issued under the Obama administration, determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare, providing the legal foundation under the Clean Air Act for regulating emissions from vehicles, power plants, and other major pollution sources. Its repeal simultaneously eliminated all federal greenhouse gas emission standards for vehicles and engines from model years 2012 through 2027 and beyond.
Standing alongside the president at the White House announcement, Administrator Zeldin declared the repeal “will be the largest deregulatory action in the history of America,” citing an estimated $1.3 trillion in annual savings tied to eliminated vehicle emission compliance costs. Power Plants Statistics in US tracking the nation’s electricity generation mix provide important context for the repeal’s broader implications, since legal experts have noted the decision could eventually unwind climate regulations affecting stationary sources like power plants and oil and gas facilities as well, not just the vehicle standards addressed in the initial rule. Environmental groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council have vowed to challenge the repeal in court, setting up what legal scholars describe as one of the most significant environmental law battles in decades.
Broader Regulatory Rollback in 2026
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Regulatory Actions Zeldin Flagged for Review (March 2025) | 31 rules |
| 2026 Deregulatory Rules Finalized (YTD) | 74 rules |
| 2026 Deregulatory Savings Claimed (YTD) | $1.2 trillion |
| 2026 New Regulatory Rules Finalized (YTD) | 14 rules, ~$45.9 billion in costs |
| Cumulative Savings Under EO 14192 (2025-2026) | $1.3 trillion total |
Source: American Action Forum, EPA press statements
Beyond the endangerment finding, the EPA’s broader deregulatory push has continued at a rapid clip through 2026. Administrator Zeldin’s March 2025 announcement, which he described as “the greatest day of deregulation in American history,” identified 31 separate environmental rules spanning clean air, clean water, and climate change policy for potential rollback or repeal. Independent tracking by the American Action Forum found that by mid-September 2026, the agency had finalized 74 deregulatory rules carrying combined claimed savings of $1.2 trillion, against just 14 new regulatory rules imposing roughly $45.9 billion in compliance costs.
Electricity Costs Statistics in US tracking how state-level electricity prices have moved during this same period offer a useful real-world check on the administration’s cost-saving claims, since the relationship between deregulation and consumer energy costs has become a central point of dispute between the agency and environmental advocates. Combining 2025 and 2026 figures under the governmentwide deregulatory framework known as Executive Order 14192, the administration credits its actions with $1.3 trillion in total cumulative cost reductions, though critics argue these savings estimates rely heavily on excluding the monetized value of prevented illness, death, and environmental damage that previous regulatory impact analyses had factored into their calculations.
Impact on Scientific Research and Enforcement in 2026
| Metric | 2025 | 2026 (Pace/YTD) |
|---|---|---|
| Peer-Reviewed Studies Published | 275 | 61 published; ~163 projected for full year |
| Year-Over-Year Change in Studies | -17% vs. 2024 | Projected further decline |
| Research Office Status | Reorganization announced May 2025 | Office of Research and Development dissolved; functions moved to new Office of Applied Science |
| Grants Per Project Officer (Region 9, post-cuts) | N/A | Up to 180-190, against a recommended cap of 3-19 |
Source: Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, EPA Inspector General, Government Executive
The staffing reductions have measurably slowed the EPA’s scientific output. Data compiled by the nonprofit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility shows the agency published 275 peer-reviewed studies in 2025, a 17% decline from the prior year, with just 61 publications recorded through a comparable point in 2026, putting the agency on pace for only about 163 studies by year’s end if the current rate holds. The Office of Research and Development, the agency’s primary scientific research arm, was formally dissolved as part of the May 2025 reorganization, with its functions redistributed to program offices including a newly created Office of Applied Science designed to align research priorities more closely with the politically appointed administrator’s policy agenda.
Enforcement and grants management capacity has also come under strain. An EPA Inspector General review found that after workforce cuts took effect, project officers in the agency’s Region 9 office were overseeing as many as 180 to 190 grants each, far exceeding the agency’s own recommended caseload of 3 to 19 grants per officer. The EPA pushed back publicly against the inspector general’s characterization, disputing the need for further workforce planning changes, even as the same bipartisan appropriations law that cut the agency’s budget by 4% in January 2026 also directed EPA to “maintain staffing levels in order to fulfill the mission and statutory obligations of the agency,” a directive that has created ongoing tension between the agency’s actual staffing trajectory and its underlying legal obligations.
Environmental Protection Agency – FAQ
How many employees does the EPA have in 2026?
The EPA’s workforce stood at approximately 12,700 to 12,849 employees in 2026, down roughly 24% from January 2025 levels.
Is EPA staffing at its lowest level in decades?
Yes. Current staffing levels are the lowest since the Reagan administration in the 1980s, when the agency employed between roughly 11,400 and 14,442 people.
What is the endangerment finding, and why was it repealed?
The endangerment finding was a 2009 determination that greenhouse gases threaten public health, providing the legal basis for federal climate regulation. It was repealed on February 12, 2026, eliminating federal vehicle emission standards.
How much did the EPA’s budget actually get cut in 2026?
Congress enacted a 4.0% operating budget cut for fiscal year 2026, far less than the administration’s initial request for a 54% reduction.
How many environmental regulations has the EPA rolled back?
Administrator Zeldin identified 31 rules for potential rollback in March 2025, and by September 2026 the agency had finalized 74 deregulatory rules with claimed combined savings of $1.2 trillion.
How has EPA’s scientific research output changed?
Peer-reviewed publications fell 17% in 2025 to 275 studies, with 2026 on pace for roughly 163 studies, a further decline.
What happened to EPA’s Office of Research and Development?
It was dissolved as part of a May 2025 reorganization, with its functions redistributed to program offices including a new Office of Applied Science.
What budget cuts is the EPA facing for fiscal year 2027?
The administration’s FY2027 request proposes cutting EPA funding by more than half again, along with 200 additional employee reductions.
How has the endangerment finding repeal affected vehicle regulations?
The repeal eliminated all federal greenhouse gas emission standards for vehicles and engines from model years 2012 through 2027 and beyond.
Is the endangerment finding repeal facing legal challenges?
Yes. Environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, have vowed to challenge the repeal in court.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
