Low Morale, Reprisal Fears Identified in EPA’s Forensics Team

The forensics team that supports the EPA’s enforcement work is plagued by low morale that has contributed to a deep slash in its staffing levels, the agency’s internal watchdog said in a Wednesday report.

One staffer at the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Enforcement Investigations Center (NEIC) said the office is characterized by a “culture of fear,” and that “saying anything that may be construed as negative about management could result in reprisal.”

Another former employee said senior management focused on project turnaround time over quality, “fostered an us-versus-them mentality between management and staff, and did not understand nuance needed ...