In brief
The Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) is poised to revoke millions in grants dedicated to studying environmental risks to children, as revealed in internal communications from senior officials. The decision, reflecting a broader trend under President Trump's management to curtail some of the agency's critical functions, has raised concerns over the health impacts on children in primarily rural areas. These grants historically focused on vital issues such as agricultural pesticide exposure, wildfire smoke effects, and the prevention of contamination from "forever chemicals"—harmful substances that persist in the environment.
An email dated April 15, authored by Dan Coogan, a deputy assistant administrator at the E.P.A., outlined directives from the agency's leadership for terminating all pending and active grants associated with specific programs, including the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) and the People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) programs. These grants are critical for research and innovation, particularly for students developing environmentally friendly solutions like antiviral masks made from plastic waste. The cancellations signal a significant shift in the federal commitment to tackling environmental health challenges.
