EPA Freezes Grants, Tells Employees Not To Talk About It, Sources Say

[femmedem]

Source: Huffington Post

"EPA staff has been instructed to freeze all its grants ― an extensive program that includes funding for research, redevelopment of former industrial sites, air quality monitoring and education, among other things ― and told not to discuss this order with anyone outside the agency, according to a Hill source with knowledge of the situation.

An EPA staffer provided the information to the congressional office anonymously, fearing retaliation.

It’s unclear whether the freeze is indefinite or temporary as the agency transitions fully to the Trump administration; the Senate has not yet confirmed Trump’s pick for EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt. It’s also not clear the immediate impact the grant freeze would have on programs across the country, since EPA grants are distributed at varying intervals and frequency."

"...The Huffington Post also received a message that was reportedly sent to staff Monday that seems to cover the current agency guidance on talking to the press in general, not just about the directive on grants. The memo states that the agency is imposing tight controls on external communication, including press releases, blog posts, social media and content on the agency website..."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/environmental-protection-grants-staff_us_5886825be4b0e3a7356b575f?pon75akll8ei5dn29

[groundloop]

1. This is getting scary as shit. Especially considering who tRump wants to head the EPA.

Those rat fuckers will do everything they legally can (and more than likely a lot that they legally can't) to harm the EPA, all in the name of profit for tRump's billionaire donors.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. This is so incredibly immoral and wrong and wrong-headed

Trump is going to reassure us all along that everything is fine, that clean air
and water are important to him and the air is clean and the water pure

All the while the pollution is going to be increasing exponentially and killing people
the slow way, like torture by toxins

This is what they did to the Soviet Union. The international capitalists must always
have somewhere to dispose of their pollution cheaply

It's our turn

[Crash2Parties]

4. And I thought disposing of toxic waste cheaply in old fracking wells was bad...

They got away with that b/c it was invisible. Now things are going to get really bad, and they won't even try to hide what they are doing.

[Crash2Parties]

3. Nothing to see here, move along, move along. You there. Yes, you - Papers, please?

[winstars]

5. WTF did we think they were gonna do? This is just the beginning. Inmates are running the asylum.

Just the beginning...

[notdarkyet]

6. National parks are also on the hit list including areas right outside the grand

Canyon that the Chinese want to mine for uranium. All federal lands will be put up for mining and logging. Also why Utah got so mad when Obama set aside lands before he left.

[winstars]

7. yes

[myrna minx]

8. K&R

[triron]

9. weird and alarming!

F..k Trump et al!

[Hekate]

10. I hope all the departments leak like sieves, as of today

Christ on a trailer hitch.

[DK504]

19. I think might be one of our saving graces.

I do hope the rank and file lifetime employees begin to tear him down.

[world wide wally]

11. Apparently the GOP congress is going to approve one incompetent after another for this so

called cabinet.
WTF is wrong with you stupid ass voters?

[Phoenix61]

12. Cabinet?

You mean that thing under the bathroom sink? What's that got to do with the president?
Seriously, they never gave it a thought. They haven't had to for the past 8 years.

[bdamomma]

16. those stupid ass voters

wanted to give trump a chance???? yea a chance to pillage and fleece the US.

They want to gut everything in the US.

[Phoenix61]

13. Yep, like they aren't worried about their jobs already

Then you tell them don't talk to anyone. That'll work out well.

[harun]

21. Lol, exactly what I thought.

[femmedem]

14. Here is a more in-depth article on this, from ProPublica.

"The EPA routinely contracts out services ranging from hazardous waste handling to drinking water quality testing. More than 600 active contracts with businesses ranging from small minority-owned consulting companies to institutions as big as Colorado State University can be explored here.

The environmental agency’s grants are used to support private, state and municipal level environmental testing, remediation and innovation projects. Together those programs can total more in spending than an entire year’s budget for the agency. The EPA awarded roughly $1.4 billion worth of contracts and $9.6 billion in grants in 2013, the latest year for which data was available, according to the government spending website InsideGov.com. The agency’s total budget in 2016 was $8.6 billion.The EPA routinely contracts out services ranging from hazardous waste handling to drinking water quality testing. More than 600 active contracts with businesses ranging from small minority-owned consulting companies to institutions as big as Colorado State University can be explored here.

The environmental agency’s grants are used to support private, state and municipal level environmental testing, remediation and innovation projects. Together those programs can total more in spending than an entire year’s budget for the agency. The EPA awarded roughly $1.4 billion worth of contracts and $9.6 billion in grants in 2013, the latest year for which data was available, according to the government spending website InsideGov.com. The agency’s total budget in 2016 was $8.6 billion.

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-administration-imposes-freeze-on-epa-grants-and-contracts?utm_campaign=sprout&utm_medium=social&utm_source=sprout&utm_content=1485225176

[maxrandb]

15. How many Universities that rely on EPA and other agency grants for research

BROADCAST THEIR "EFFING" DIVISION 1 FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL GAMES ON RADIO STATIONS THAT OFFER NOTHING BUT 165 HOURS A WEEK OF LIMBAUGH, HANNITY, SAVAGE, AND OTHER COOKIE-CUTTER HATERS?

[Tanuki]

17. This on the heels of yesterday's announcement that CDC was cancelling

it's conference on climate change and health, also abruptly and with no public explanation. It really passes me off to see taxpayer-supported programs gutted by a corrupt tax evading parasite like Trump.


https://www.google.com/amp/www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/amp/cdc-cancels-conference-climate-change-health-n711076?client=ms-android-att-us

[yardwork]

18. This is horrible.

[Raine1967]

20. This is F*cked.

I have a friend at the EPA who is considering retirement because she is afraid of being a target of the administration.

[femmedem]

22. Your friend may want to contact Rebecca Boyle

Or friends of your friend.

Link to tweet

[Raine1967]

24. Thank you!

I think she might! I will pass in on.

[titaniumsalute]

23. Elections have consequences. Period.

We all knew on November 9th what we are in for. Why is anyone actually surprised?

Trump stumped as a change agent, progressive who was a DC outsider. That's what he won on especially with lower educated white people who have been the victims of job losses and no one to hear them. He used them. And they out numbered us. Add in some minority groups who didn't come out in masse like for Obama, some Green Voters who could have split the ticket slightly, etc.

This really blows. But we need to fight back. Trump is using social media...as we MUST do the same thing and more. We need to stand up. Whenever a right wing Senator or RAep is in public we need to voice our opinion whether it be a Town Hall, City Council meeting, letter to the editor, calling a talk show, righting a blog or doing a podcast, etc.