Some staffers at the Environmental Protection Agency’s regional lab in Chelmsford eat lunch alone more often than they used to, according to their union’s leader.

They’re worried they may inadvertently say something that could get them into trouble.

“People are super anxious every day,” said Lilly Simmons, an environmental scientist and president of AFGE Local 3428, which represents EPA employees in New England. “ They’re not feeling comfortable in the workplace. They’re absolutely not.”

The New England branch of the EPA has lost more than 150 employees since the start of the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the agency’s workforce, according to union leaders. Current employees said drastic staffing cuts and shifting federal priorities have dampened morale and decreased productiv

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