Eliza Oehmler, ELR Staffer, ‘27

The U.S. government just ended its longest shutdown ever. Although government shutdowns inherently affect the environment due to scalebacks of the workforce, the Trump Administration took advantage of this recent shutdown to further its anti-clean energy, pro-oil and gas, and anti-climate agenda. The administration cut climate monitoring jobs and halted important energy and environmental projects in blue states while continuing to prioritize projects that harm the environment. 

Pollution Increases During a Shutdown

 A study from Penn State that examined the previous longest ever shutdown of 35 days in 2018-2019 found that pollution levels rose while the government was closed. Pollution levels jumped 15-20% once the EPA stopped monitoring. The authors note that even small levels of pollution can affect human health and that inspection efforts from the government have impacts on pollution levels on a daily basis as well as long term. 

Cancellation of Climate-Friendly Projects

The Trump Administration also halted or cancelled key environmentally friendly projects during the shutdown. A solar power project in Nevada–Esmerelda 7–was cancelled on October 10th. Esmerelda 7 was set to create 6.2 gigawatts of energy, which would have been enough to power nearly two million homes. Trump has also cancelled nearly $8 billion in funding for clean energy projects in 16 blue states during the shutdown, including projects focused on green energy, hydrogen technology, efforts to reduce carbon emissions, and strengthening the electrical grid. Trump even issued an executive order approving the Ambler Road project, which allows for mining through the Alaskan wilderness. 

Furloughed Staff and Job Cuts

Key environmental monitoring and inspections were impacted by the shutdown as well. The EPA kept only 11% of its workforce during the shutdown, meaning 89% of its staff performing key jobs were furloughed. This creates the potential for an “enforcement gap,” where the monitoring and inspection projects start to create a backlog because there is no one to get the job done until the government reopens. In fact, the EPA halted clean water inspections and pollution monitoring. Further, Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought fired upwards of 10,000 federal workers. The Trump Administration had already fired before the shutdown, climate scientists, people who monitor weather, and people who respond to disasters. Stretching organizations such as the EPA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Weather Service further will just make it even more difficult to monitor and respond to extreme weather events, during shutdowns and after when there is less workforce to monitor extreme weather events. The shutdown also caused the national flood insurance program to lapse, leaving many people in high risk areas without insurance during hurricane season. 

Cancellation of COP30 Delegation

The shutdown affected the plans of members of Congress that could have had climate policy impacts. A bipartisan group of Senators were set to attend the UN’s Climate Change Conference, COP30, in Brazil led by Republican Senator John Thume and Democratic Senator Chris Coons, but the trip was cancelled because of the shutdown. Though no other Republicans had officially signed on to the trip, Sen. Thume has said that at least three other Republican Senators had expressed interest. 

Alignment with Trump’s Policy Agenda

The Center for American Progress published a chart demonstrating how the Trump Administration treated public lands during the 2025 shutdown and how it advances Trump’s long-term climate goals. For example, some of the pared down staff allowed to go back to work at the EPA are those focused on fossil fuel approvals, which is in line with Trump’s goal to focus on oil and gas on public lands. The administration paused forest health and wildfire reduction projects while prioritizing timber projects, which mirrors Trump’s efforts to cut forest health and wildfire reduction in general in favor of for-profit timber projects.

This government shutdown has had short-term effects and will likely have long-term effects as well. The lapse in funding means it will take months for workers to catch up on the work that needed to be done, that research backlog is clogged, and essential peer-reviewed work is halted, while European and Asian science labs and environmental work continues, which will leave America behind. The government shutdown kept people from being paid, kept low-income people from receiving SNAP benefits, and caused huge travel delays. It will take some time before the full effect of the shutdown comes into light and research can show what was most impacted, but while Trump is President, it is important to be aware of what cuts are being made and how it may affect daily life.