Michael Pasqua doesn’t know what dollar figure will appear on his bi-weekly paycheck Friday.

A life scientist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pasqua is still working despite the federal government shutdown that began Oct. 1 after lawmakers failed to pass a funding bill.

His department within the EPA Region 5, which covers Illinois and five other Midwest states, was fortunate to have carryover funds from the previous budget to continue operating. But Pasqua said he’s unsure if the carryover funding “means we’re going to get paid.”

“No one’s really kind of said that,” said Pasqua, 37, who lives in Edgewater and fills the roles of Region 5 data coordinator and Drinking Water Program manager for Wisconsin.

It’s also unclear how long the extra funding will last, he said.

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