Key internal memos from the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveal efforts to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the agency. A memo confirmed by sources to Fox News Digital indicates proposals for making bathrooms and locker rooms in EPA offices more gender-inclusive.

Summary of DEI Proposals

According to documentation obtained by the Functional Government Initiative and initially reported by the Washington Free Beacon, the EPA has recommended several initiatives aimed at promoting inclusion for LGBTQIA+ individuals:

• Encouraging voluntary self-disclosure of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) among employees.
• Integrating LGBTQIA+ individuals into hiring and recruiting processes.
• Access to gender-neutral restrooms and locker rooms across agency facilities.
• Updating communication protocols to incorporate gender pronouns and eliminate gendered honorifics.

The internal report, spanning 38 pages, includes a commitment to expanding gender-neutral facilities, which currently number 155 across the agency, with only four of ten regional offices lacking such options.

Focus on Inclusion and Accessibility

The memo outlines the overarching objective to ensure that LGBTQIA+ employees are included in various facets of EPA operations, from recruitment and career development to data analytics and employee engagement. The EPA strives to embed DEI principles agency-wide, striving to be a benchmark for other federal agencies.

This initiative aligns with a broader directive from the Biden administration which seeks to accurately reflect the gender identities of federal employees, promoting accessibility to gender-neutral facilities in workplaces.

Leadership and Action

In response to these goals, the EPA, under the leadership of then-administrator Michael Regan, established an employee-led DEIA implementation team in 2021. This team was tasked with creating workgroups focused on DEI actions, ultimately fostering a cultural shift within the agency.

Recent Developments

In light of recent leadership changes, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has been recalibrating the agency’s focus and cut a substantial number of previous grants related to DEI and environmental justice programs. Zeldin announced the termination of over 400 grants, totaling approximately $1.7 billion, aiming to streamline the agency’s funding allocation and priorities.

This restructuring marks a significant shift in the administration’s environmental policies as the EPA collaborates with the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, to implement these budget cuts.