In a complaint filed last April, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility accused EPA of violating federal law by idling some workers indefinitely because of their purported connection to environmental justice work. The group asked the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, an independent agency charged with upholding civil service protections, to investigate and intervene.
Nine months later, the complaint has gone “absolutely nowhere,” PEER staff counsel Laura Dumais said in an interview. “It’s been extremely frustrating.” After Trump fired the Biden-era appointee who headed the Office of Special Counsel, it is now led by acting chief Jamieson Greer, who is also U.S. trade representative.
“I don’t think this administration wants them [complaints] to be pursued in a timely manner,” Dumais said.
