For the third week in a row, there are issues with air conditioning at the environmental protection agency headquarters, which send indoor temperatures above 80 degrees well, sources told CBS News.
Staff members have received emails stating that repair efforts were going on and the administration is trying to reduce energy consumption.
In recent weeks, many lifts have fallen, causing EPA employees to get stuck in the floor many times. On more than one occasions, according to sources, the lift has suddenly fallen.
A group of employees were transferred to a basement area next to a firing range, where federal law enforcement officers practice shooting. EPA employees, environmental threats experts have expressed war about the lead level in the air.
Career employees have thought among themselves whether the issues of the workplace are another mechanism to inspire resignation and reduce the federal workforce, according to many who requested oblivion because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
Work on air conditioning is going on, the Assistant Press Secretary of the White House Taylor Rogers told CBS News.
“Joe Biden’s EPA ruined $ 4 million One-room museum Instead of the maintenance required for the building because the employees were not required to show really to work, “Rogers said.” Trump EPA is working diligently on improving its building, which will complete over -maintenance for carpets, lifts, air conditioning, and working employees. ,
A administration official said that parts of the lift were ordered four months ago, but the authorities have been told that it would take about 18 months to arrive.
The general service administration, agency that manages and maintains federal real estate, is paying to repair the lift. The official said that other reforms would be paid by EPA funds.
Hundreds of EPA employees have already agreed to quit their jobs as part of the voluntary “thorns in the forks”.
Last week, EPA leader About 140 employees kept on administrative leave After signing a letter to Lee Zeldin in June, he realized the administration’s stance, including policies, “weakens the EPA mission to protect human health and environment.”
For a long time, EPA employees told CBS News that steam -filled circumstances at their desk have made the workplace life uncomfortable, especially during a stretch extreme weather with Heat index Reaching above 100 degrees.
An email of Mission Support of EPA’s office sent employees and reviewed by CBS News, Cited to equipment issues at William Jefferson Clinton Complex, where the agency is headquartered. After the subject line, “Hot compared to the normal WJC building temperature,” Email said that the General Services Administration “has informed us that they are experiencing issues with chillars” and were working to resolve the issue.
Another email sent by the Mission Support Office stated that an attempt was made in the days, where it is more than 90 degrees, “to help conserve energy to reduce the strain on the grid during Peak Energy Use Periods (3-7PM) and help prevent power outage.”
Employees exchanged the photo of digital carbon dioxide and temperature monitor on their desk. On 26 June, when Washington, DC had high, 95 degrees, a monitor recorded indoor temperature at 84 degrees and 61%.
Another email to the employees of Cheryl Butler, an EPA building manager, said, “A/C gets on weekends to make the temperature higher than normal in Ronald Reagan building towers on Monday”, where there are also EPA offices.
EPA is strengthening its footprint in one from two buildings, taking Reagan from the building to Clinton Building.
Two administration officials said that maintenance problems are not aimed at the purpose of career employees – they are as a result of old buildings and delayed maintenance. The previous administration did not invest in partially vacant buildings due to home habits from work. Air conditioning at the White House has also recently seen issues, an official said.
The air near the North Building Firing Range, which is untouched, is tested for regular protection, two sources said. Other officials said that a high lead level in that area was an issue in the past, but was abused during the Biden administration.
