Justice Department closing Atlanta office

The U.S. Department of Justice plans to close it’s anti-trust division in Atlanta as part of an agency-wide plan designed to save about $8 million a year.

Some of the prosecutors and support staff will be relocated to Washington or to field offices in San Francisco, Chicago of New York. Those who don’t have a place in the revamped unit will get severance pay and will be the first choices for positions in other federal agencies.

If Congress approves the plan, the Justice Department also will close field offices in Dallas, Cleveland and Philadelphia.