EPA workforce shrinking to Reagan-era levels -agency official WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The workforce at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is on course to fall to its lowest level since Ronald Reagan was president, an agency official said on Tuesday.  In June, the EPA unveiled a buyout program that would contribute to the biggest cuts of any federal agency in President Donald Trump’s 2018 budget proposal. The EPA employs about 15,000 people.  After buyouts and retirements, that number could drop to 14,428 by October, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said in an email.  That would be below the fiscal 1988 level, when EPA staffing was 14,440, the official noted. A further 2,998 employees, or just over 20 percent of the total, are eligible to retire now, the official said.  In an April spending bill, the Republican-controlled Congress set a cap for EPA staffing at 15,000 employees for fiscal year 2017, rejecting proposed increases by the previous administration of Democratic President Barack Obama.  EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said the reductions were “giving long-serving, hard-working employees the opportunity to retire early.  “We’re proud to report that we’re reducing the size of government, protecting taxpayer dollars and staying true to our core mission of protecting the environment and American jobs,” he said in a separate statement.  Pruitt has rolled back a slew of Obama-era regulations limiting carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.  He was also instrumental in convincing Trump to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord - a global pact to stem planetary warming through emissions cuts.  While acknowledging the planet is warming, Pruitt has questioned the gravity of the problem and the need for regulations that require companies to take costly measures to reduce their carbon footprint.  Before becoming head of the EPA, he was Oklahoma’s attorney general and repeatedly sued the agency he now runs to block federal environmental rules.politicsNews
epa workforce shrinking levels official washington reuters the workforce environmental protection agency course fall lowest level since ronald reagan president agency official said tuesday in june epa unveiled buyout program would contribute biggest cuts federal agency president donald trump budget proposal the epa employs people after buyout retirement number could drop october official spoke condition anonymity said email that would fiscal level epa staffing official noted a employees percent total eligible retire official said in april spending bill congress set cap epa staffing employees fiscal year rejecting proposed increases previous administration democratic president barack obama epa administrator scott print said reductions giving employees opportunity retire early we proud report reducing size government protecting taxpayer dollars staying true core mission protecting environment american jobs said separate statement print rolled back slew regulations limiting carbon dioxide emissions fossil fuels he also instrumental convincing trump withdraw united states paris climate accord global pact stem planetary warming emissions cuts while acknowledging planet warming print questioned gravity problem need regulations require companies take costly measures reduce carbon footprint before becoming head epa oklahoma attorney general repeatedly sued agency runs block federal environmental
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: EPA workforce shrinking to Reagan-era levels -agency official WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The workforce at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is on course to fall to its lowest level since Ronald Reagan was president, an agency official said on Tuesday.  In June, the EPA unveiled a buyout program that would contribute to the biggest cuts of any federal agency in President Donald Trump’s 2018 budget proposal. The EPA employs about 15,000 people.  After buyouts and retirements, that number could drop to 14,428 by October, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said in an email.  That would be below the fiscal 1988 level, when EPA staffing was 14,440, the official noted. A further 2,998 employees, or just over 20 percent of the total, are eligible to retire now, the official said.  In an April spending bill, the Republican-controlled Congress set a cap for EPA staffing at 15,000 employees for fiscal year 2017, rejecting proposed increases by the previous administration of Democratic President Barack Obama.  EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said the reductions were “giving long-serving, hard-working employees the opportunity to retire early.  “We’re proud to report that we’re reducing the size of government, protecting taxpayer dollars and staying true to our core mission of protecting the environment and American jobs,” he said in a separate statement.  Pruitt has rolled back a slew of Obama-era regulations limiting carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.  He was also instrumental in convincing Trump to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord - a global pact to stem planetary warming through emissions cuts.  While acknowledging the planet is warming, Pruitt has questioned the gravity of the problem and the need for regulations that require companies to take costly measures to reduce their carbon footprint.  Before becoming head of the EPA, he was Oklahoma’s attorney general and repeatedly sued the agency he now runs to block federal environmental rules.politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: epa workforce shrinking levels official washington reuters the workforce environmental protection agency course fall lowest level since ronald reagan president agency official said tuesday in june epa unveiled buyout program would contribute biggest cuts federal agency president donald trump budget proposal the epa employs people after buyout retirement number could drop october official spoke condition anonymity said email that would fiscal level epa staffing official noted a employees percent total eligible retire official said in april spending bill congress set cap epa staffing employees fiscal year rejecting proposed increases previous administration democratic president barack obama epa administrator scott print said reductions giving employees opportunity retire early we proud report reducing size government protecting taxpayer dollars staying true core mission protecting environment american jobs said separate statement print rolled back slew regulations limiting carbon dioxide emissions fossil fuels he also instrumental convincing trump withdraw united states paris climate accord global pact stem planetary warming emissions cuts while acknowledging planet warming print questioned gravity problem need regulations require companies take costly measures reduce carbon footprint before becoming head epa oklahoma attorney general repeatedly sued agency runs block federal environmental