Philadelphia EPA workers protest "senseless" funding cuts in National Day of Action
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers in Philadelphia joined colleagues in cities nationwide Tuesday in a National Day of Action, protesting funding cuts, staff reductions and regulatory rollbacks under the Trump administration.
Members of AFGE 3631, the local chapter of the union representing EPA employees, gathered outside the agency's regional office at 4 Penn Plaza in Center City to voice concerns over recent budget reductions, the elimination of environmental justice initiatives, and what they described as a demoralizing portrayal of their work.
"This is about our morale," said Andrew Kreider, a union member and congressional liaison for the agency. "Day-to-day, we are characterized by some members of the administration as lazy or ineffective. We want to counter that narrative and remind each other of the good work we do every day."
Kreider also said another reason for the protest was to spread awareness to community members and share that they soon could be directly affected.
"We want to bring attention to our allies, our partners, and our community organizations to the good work that we do every day and let people take a moment and think about the impacts that damage to the EPA could have on them."
One of the key concerns raised at the protest was the recent cancellation of a $1 million federal grant that had been awarded to the City of Philadelphia's Office of Sustainability. Kreider said the grant was intended to help the city prepare for extreme weather events, but it was among several grants rescinded as part of broader agency budget cuts.
Brad Starnes, president of the EPA workers' union in Philadelphia, said the reductions are hindering employees' ability to fulfill their mission.
"We are very dedicated to our work, we believe in our mission, and reduction to our workforce impacts our ability to serve that mission," Starnes said. "We are losing critical resources, but nothing is being done to fill the void of what is being lost. It is senseless what is happening right now, to tear down the good work that we do."
The Trump administration defended the changes, saying they align with the president's commitment to cutting costs and eliminating certain programs within the agency. A White House official pointed to the EPA's ongoing review of its spending, which the administration said has saved taxpayers more than $2 billion.
"The EPA has made staff cuts in accordance with President Trump's agenda to eliminate DEI programs," the official stated, referencing the termination of environmental justice initiatives. Additionally, the administration cited multiple rounds of grant cancellations totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, which it says reflect a prioritization of fiscal responsibility.
EPA employees, however, argue that these cuts are not just budgetary decisions but a systematic dismantling of the agency's ability to protect air and water quality.
"EPA employees are very dedicated to their mission," Starnes said. "Very often they could go elsewhere and make more money, but they are very dedicated to their mission."
