EPA staffing hits crisis point as Biden sends disaster relief workers to Hawaii 

As people in Hawaii grapple with what could become the deadliest wildfire in U.S. history, we’re once again forced to confront the tragic effects of climate change. As evidenced recently by hurricanes, wildfires, devastating floods, and record-breaking heat waves, our environment is in a constant state of distress. The battle to save our planet is one that we cannot afford to lose, and we’re not giving up.  

In the days, weeks and months to come, the people of Maui will battle polluted resources and a damaged ecosystem, but they won’t be in it alone. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already deployed nearly 50 personnel to the island, with another 25+ workers expected to join them in the coming days. Some of the best and brightest scientific minds serve our government by fighting tirelessly to combat climate emergencies as a part of the EPA’s frontline team. 

As the president of AFGE Council 238, I represent more than 8,000 of these dedicated EPA workers, and it is part of our job to support communities in the wake of environmental disasters. In Maui, we’ll work to ensure the community is safe from hazardous waste, spending days and nights making sure that the local drinking water is safe. We will facilitate relief, monitor air quality, contain sewage, clear debris and more.  

Clean air and drinking water is a basic human right; it’s what we need to survive. We’re proud to be on the frontlines of disaster relief efforts, ensuring these basic necessities for vulnerable communities in need.  

This year, EPA workers have supported communities affected by the derailment in East Palestine and Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers. We have responded to Hurricanes Katrina, Maria and countless oil spills, including the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon. Whether the disaster is weather-related or man-made, we need a robust team of the best and brightest workers at the EPA to confront it. But right now, our workforce is at risk. 

The increased frequency of back-to-back emergencies is taking a toll on our workers. All of this rapid response and disaster relief work is being done as EPA staff continues day-to-day efforts to advance the Biden administration’s ambitious climate goals, overseeing the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. Meanwhile, our agency is understaffed and scrambling to hire at least 1,800 people over the next year. 

That’s why we’re demanding the agency guarantee fair working conditions that will allow us to recruit and retain the workforce needed to do our jobs as we bargain our new contract. As EPA continues to respond to increasingly regular climate emergencies, the agency needs to support their workers who are leading our nation’s fight against climate change.  

Nearly 150 members of our union participated in an intensive process to draft contract proposals to help the agency build a strong workforce, well-equipped to address our nation’s environmental challenges. These proposals prioritize scientific integrity, fair wages commensurate with experience, competitive benefits, and the recruitment of a diverse workforce.  

These demands are not self-serving; they’re rooted in the need to do the best work possible to save the planet. Higher wages will grow our workforce by attracting the young expert STEM professionals who will turn to the private sector without the option for competitive wages and benefits at our agency. Our diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) provision ensures we can recruit and train a staff that reflects the diverse communities we serve. A robust workforce would mean more bodies on the ground to assist in emergency response efforts in places like Maui. It will mean we have a chance of reducing emissions and achieving other crucial climate goals necessary to ensure future generations will have a healthy planet with resources to live on. 

All citizens should understand how support for fair working conditions for EPA workers will have very real impacts on their safety and well-being during this increasingly volatile weather outlook. If you’re looking for climate change action now, support the workers on the front line of the movement. Climate emergencies are no longer distant possibilities, they’re very real disasters that demand immediate action. EPA workers are fighting this battle, but the agency’s failure to meet our demands is putting our work in jeopardy.  

Marie Owens Powell is president of AFGE Council 238, the nation's largest EPA union.