"Acting EPA Chief Warns Staff of Furloughs"

"The acting head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warned staff on Tuesday that it may place an unspecified number of jobs on temporary furlough if across-the-board federal budget cuts take effect at the end of this week."

"Bob Perciasepe, acting administrator of the EPA, wrote in an email that despite taking early measures to cut agency spending on contracts, grants and administration in recent months, furloughs are inevitable.

'Even with these actions, the arbitrary nature of the required budget cuts of sequestration would force us to implement employee furloughs over the remainder of the fiscal year, ending on September 30, 2013,' Perciasepe wrote."

Valerie Volcovici reports for Reuters February 27, 2013.