Hundreds of EPA scientists expected to be fired in more Trump administration cuts

The Trump administration plans to eliminate a major research body of the Environmental Protection Agency, possibly cutting more than 1,000 employees, according to documents on the government's reduction in force agenda.

The EPA's Office of Research and Development would be eliminated "as an EPA National Program Office," documents reviewed by Democratic staffers on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee say. A portion of the documents was shared with CBS News.

"Currently, the Office of Research and Development has 1,540 positions (excluding special government employees and public health officers), of which we anticipate a majority (50-75%) will not be retained," the documents say.