22 hours Ago By Zabelle and Robert Stodola, Duluth
We appreciated the April 9 “Local View” column, “ Duluth’s EPA lab a gem; unwisely being targeted for cuts ,” by retired University of Minnesota Duluth biology professor Gerald Niemi. As Duluthians, we, too, are deeply concerned about potential cutbacks at the Duluth EPA lab, which employs 170 scientists and support staff and in 2021 contributed $15 million to the local economy. We do not understand the Trump administration’s shortsighted and damaging desire to fire people with years of knowledge and experience, not only (potentially) at the Duluth lab but nationwide at other critical departments such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
ADVERTISEMENT Investing in — not divesting from — science should be a patriotic priority. Northland communities depend on Lake Superior and benefit enormously from cutting-edge research at the Duluth EPA lab to maintain its purity. We applaud our neighbors there working to protect us from toxic chemicals like PFAS and for promoting science that keeps our water clean.
The future depends on water-rich environments like ours. Studies at the Duluth EPA lab have economic as well as environmental impacts. President Donald Trump’s main campaign promise was to improve the American economy; but instead the unelected Elon Musk has relentlessly attacked and sacked tens of thousands of American workers and rattled the world markets.
As Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith wrote in their recent letter to EPA Commissioner Lee Zeldin, “Firing career scientists and shutting down a lab that leads the nation in freshwater toxicology research would have huge impacts on Minnesota and all Americans.” Let's hope their request as well as public outcry will allow the lab's critical work to continue.
Zabelle and Robert Stodola Duluth ADVERTISEMENT Email submissions to: [email protected] Include a full name, address and daytime phone number. Only names and hometowns will be published.
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