EPA terminates University of Colorado wildfire-smoke grant

Marina Vance, an environmental engineer at the University of Colorado, said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency terminated a $549,000 grant she held to study wildfire smoke in homes and required her to return roughly $360,000.

The three-year project, planned to run until August 2026, aimed to measure particulate matter indoors and outdoors, analyze how particle sizes penetrate houses, and develop inexpensive interventions such as portable air cleaners. Vance recruited a new Ph.D. student for the study; the student made a first deployment to the Elk Fire in Wyoming in September 2024, sampling indoor and outdoor air.

On April 24 Vance said she received an email attaching a termination notice that stated, "The objectives of the award are no longer consistent with EPA funding priorities." She called the decision "frustrating and confusing," saying the research was closely related to the EPA's mission and could have immediate impact when the next wildfire occurs.

The account is part of the New York Times' "Lost Science" series, which collects stories from scientists who lost jobs or funding after cuts by the Trump administration.

Key Topics

Science, Marina Vance, Environmental Protection Agency, Elk Fire, Wildfire Smoke