EPA contingency plan outlines limited water oversight during federal shutdown
The U.S. federal government shutdown on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, following Congress’ inability to pass funding bills, or appropriations, that keep federal agencies running for the next fiscal year, which begins October 1. If no agreement is reached by the end of September 30, a partial shutdown will begin the following day. Some essential employees still report to work, but others may be furloughed.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a contingency plan in the case of a government shutdown. Key points from the September 29 document include:
- Out of roughly 15,000 employees, only about 1,700 remain active during a shutdown – most staff are furloughed.
- Employees kept on the job must fall into “excepted” (legally required, life/property protection, emergency response) or “exempted” (funded from carryover or special funds) categories.
