The Trump administration is tightening its grip over EPA’s scientific enterprise as it prepares to relocate employees from its once esteemed research arm. The agency’s new, smaller science office has laid out its policies on how EPA will approve new research and publish its work for the public, according to internal memos obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News. Further, EPA’s remaining scientists from the now-dissolved Office of Research and Development received reassignments earlier this week, including many who will have to move if they want to continue working at the agency. … Research office staffers who remained at EPA were expecting to be reassigned last month, as the agency officially closed the program. Many had already been transferred into the air, chemical and water programs.

Other EPA news:

• Food & Wine: Microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and your tap water — inside the EPA’s new plan
• The New York Times: How Lee Zeldin shifted the mission — and the message — of the E.P.A.
• The National Law Review: EPA publishes updated drinking water contaminant list