Hamza Adam 
The Environmental Protection Agency let hundreds of staffers go on Monday, according to an NBC report.
The staffing cuts came just one day before Earth Day, through a “reduction in force” process.
Last month the agency’s administrator, Lee Zeldin, promised to drive “a dagger through the heart of climate-change religion” when he announced a massive rollback of environmental regulations.
Some EPA employees were placed on administrative leave in February. They also ended remote work and terminated some probationary workers at the time.
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“Today, EPA notified diversity, equity, and inclusion and environmental justice employees that EPA will be conducting a Reduction in Force in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management Workforce Reshaping Handbook and federal regulations governing RIF procedures,” EPA spokeswoman Molly Vaseliou told NBC in an email.
“The agency also notified certain statutory and mission essential employees that they are being reassigned to other offices.”
NBC News acquired a copy of a memorandum sent to employees who lost their jobs.
It said, “President Trump was elected with a mandate from the American people. Part of this mandate includes the issuance of an Executive Order that directs the critical transformation of the Federal bureaucracy to empower American families, workers, taxpayers and our system of government itself. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this time.”
The memorandum also notes EPA’s reduction in force will take effect on July 31.