The Trump administration is removing key environmental and public health resources from federal websites. This move targets data related to climate change, racial equity, and gender identity. Researchers and activists are alarmed. These datasets help track health disparities, environmental justice, and social vulnerability.
The Disappearance of Environmental and Public Health Data Under the Trump Administration
On Friday, concerns spread on social media. Many feared a purge of federal data, especially from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC provides data on chronic diseases, traffic injuries, tobacco use, vaccinations, and pregnancies. By Friday night, its main data portal was offline.
A message on the website read: “Data.CDC.gov is temporarily offline in order to comply with Executive Order 14168: Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” The message said the data would return after review. However, it is unclear what information will be restored.
Pattern of Data Removal
This follows a pattern from Trump’s first term. Nearly 20% of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) website was removed then. Now, similar actions are happening even faster.
Recently, the CDC removed the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and Environmental Justice Index (EJI). These tools helped identify communities at high health risk.
The SVI was developed in 2007 under the Bush administration. It assessed community vulnerabilities based on factors like poverty, race, and ethnicity. The Biden administration launched the EJI in 2022 to track pollution’s effects on low-income and minority communities.
“Too many communities, especially low-income and minority groups, bear the brunt of pollution. We will use the Environmental Justice Index to help them,” said former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in 2022.
Now, both indexes are gone. This makes it harder to address environmental health disparities.
Trump’s Stance on Climate and Equity
Since taking office, Trump has reversed policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In a recent executive order, he claimed DEI efforts “corrupted” government institutions. He also blamed “climate extremism” for inflation and overregulation.
During his first term, references to climate change on federal websites dropped by 40%. Similar removals are happening now. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently deleted its pages on climate and sustainability and equity. An internal memo ordered USDOT to “terminate” climate and DEI-related programs.
HIV/AIDS Data Also Affected
The administration is also limiting foreign aid. As a result, crucial data on global health programs is vanishing. The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) website was taken down last week.
Since 2003, PEPFAR has provided antiretroviral therapy to millions. In 2024 alone, over 20 million people received treatment. Removing this data raises concerns about transparency and the future of U.S. global health commitments.
Efforts to Save Data
Despite these removals, some organizations are preserving government data. The End of Term Web Archive Project has archived federal websites during every presidential transition since 2008. The Environmental Data and Governance Initiative (EDGI) is also working with the Open Environmental Data Project to back up key datasets.
Following the removal of the CDC’s SVI and EJI, these groups made archived versions available. They are now accessible through the Public Environmental Data Project. However, archived data is not a replacement for updated datasets.
The Risk of Outdated Data
Experts warn that old data loses value over time. “Any dataset has a lifespan of utility,” says Dan Pisut, a senior principal engineer at GIS software company Esri.
If data is outdated, it may not reflect current conditions. This makes it harder for policymakers and researchers to address real-world issues.
“It could be risky,” Pisut adds, “but it’s better than nothing.”
The Fight for Transparency
As the Trump administration continues to erase environmental and public health data, transparency advocates remain on high alert. The loss of these resources affects research, policy, and public health efforts. The long-term consequences remain uncertain. However, one thing is clear: the battle for access to critical government data is far from over.
Source: Giz China
