The Environmental Protection Agency has fired at least eight employees who signed a letter criticizing the agency’s leadership under Administrator Lee Zeldin and President Donald Trump.

The Environmental Protection Agency said Friday it is eliminating its research and development arm and reducing agency staff by thousands of employees.

In a 2020 report by the EPA, the agency said “co-locating” the Houston facility to an existing EPA branch in Oklahoma would save $1.8 million annually in lease and facility expenses.