300 Washington Stakeholders Call on Congress to Stop Mass Firing of Federal Workers
Today, 300 conservation, recreation, and wildlife organizations, elected officials, breweries, hop and grain growers, and businesses from across Washington State sent a letter to each member of Washington’s U.S. Congressional delegation urging them to push back on the indiscriminate mass firing of federal employees. The letter expresses outrage and deep concern regarding the loss of so many critical staff who work to ensure our public lands and natural resources are effectively managed and protected.
From day one, President Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have been hellbent on gutting the federal workforce. First came the federal hiring freeze, followed by the largest-ever government buyout program. Despite ongoing lawsuits to determine its constitutionality and validity, it worked, with approximately 75,000 employees accepting the offer by the deadline. Next, we saw a wave of mass firings as directed by the executive order, “Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative”. Of the 10,000 federal employees fired by DOGE, the majority targeted were those in probationary status—new hires or recent position changes—or those with “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (DEI) in their job description. The executive order also limits future hires to one for every four employees fired. In March, the next phase pursuant to the executive order will collect data from federal employees that once analyzed, is anticipated to result in as much as 20% more job cuts.
“This deliberate and poorly thought out mass firing of key federal employees — who manage our national parks and forests, enforce environmental and public safety laws and regulations and support economic benefits to local communities — will have significant impacts here in Washington State.” —Tom Uniack, Executive Director of Washington Wild
Included among those jobs already lost, 10% of the US Forest Service (~3,400 employees) and 5% of the National Park Service (~1,000 employees) had their positions terminated or job offers rescinded. The employees that were fired are critical to keeping our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and other public lands safe and accessible. They build and maintain trails, manage campgrounds, clean facilities, assist visitors, issue permits, respond to emergencies, fight wildfires and much more. Eliminating these positions will result in a reduced ability to access and enjoy these incredible places which will, in turn, negatively impact the outdoor recreation economy which generated an estimated $26.5 billion in 2020.
“These federal workforce cuts leave our public lands less safe and under-resourced at a time when outdoor recreation continues to grow in popularity. The vast majority of employees affected by these cuts are frontline, on-the-ground workers who make our outdoor experiences possible. Eliminating these roles will have a real and tangible impact on the public’s ability to enjoy Washington’s natural landscapes, the broader outdoor recreation economy, and the health of our environment.”
—Betsy Robblee, Conservation and Advocacy Director for The Mountaineers
The Forest Service manages more than 60% of public lands in our state, including iconic places like Mount St. Helens National Monument, the Enchantments and Mount Baker. The loss of staff to manage places like these is dramatic. For example, these firings have already resulted in the termination of 30% of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest’s workforce in a destination that welcomes more than 2 million visitors per year. Between layoffs of temporary seasonals, a hiring freeze and terminations, program staffing is down over 70% for a recreation area that spans 140 miles along the Cascade mountain range from the Canadian border to the northern boundary of Mount Rainier National Park.
“We know that demand for outdoor recreation continues to grow. Therefore, it is essential for public recreation to be managed responsibly, ensuring it is safe, low impact, and respects tribal treaty rights. We care deeply about the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, a large portion of which is in Snohomish County, and need adequate federal staffing to care for our public forests because we all benefit from healthy natural spaces and responsible recreation.”
—Dave Somers, Snohomish County Executive
Our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and other public lands depend on the dedication of tens of thousands of federal employees. From leading educational programs and conducting backcountry rescues to maintaining trails and cleaning facilities, they work tirelessly–often behind the scenes–to protect our irreplaceable ecosystems and wildlife. The work they do is integral to effective management and protection of our water, lands, and use by the public. Their unwavering commitment ensures that these natural treasures continue to thrive for generations to come. Thousands of federal employees now find themselves without a job after signing leases, relocating families, and dedicating their lives to protecting these treasured places. Many more remain in limbo, uncertain about their future. These are hardworking public servants with families, and they deserve respect, stability, and gratitude for their service.
The letter sent today to all 12 members of Washington’s congressional delegation demonstrates the broad opposition to the mass firings of federal employees. 144 (nearly half) of those signers were local elected officials, including 31 State Legislators, 16 county executives and commissioners, 16 mayors and more than 80 city council members representing 48 different cities from Spokane to Blaine to Bremerton.
“Southwest Washington is blessed with being so close to ancient forests, wild rivers and world class recreational opportunities on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, including Mount Adams and the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. With as much as 40% of the Mt St. Helens Monument Staff having been fired, this will result in reduce access, closures and negative economic impacts for our communities. These public resources are held in trust for the public. That trust is being broken with the severity of these cuts.”
—Sue Marshall, Chair of the Clark County Council
Our parks and forests are mostly located away from urban centers near small rural communities that are inextricably linked economically, socially, and culturally to these federal lands. These are landscapes that they call home and where they work, whether it be logging, mining, recreation, or land management. Reduction in federal staff has a direct effect on these communities and the local businesses that they include.
“As a brewery owner in Port Angeles, the gateway to Olympic National Park, I am disheartened by the firings and hiring freezes at the National Park Service. NPS employes are an important part of our community and work tirelessly to protect our prized National Park. They make sure that visitors from around the world are able to experience Olympics’ majestic peaks, pristine rivers, and lush old growth safely and sustainability. These essential ecosystems also provide us with clean water that allows us to make great beer here in the heart of Port Angeles.”
—Doug Burghart, Co-Owner of Mighty Pine Brewing Company in Port Angeles and member of the WA Brewshed® Alliance
The near-term impact of these mass firings is being felt now by the federal employees and will be felt by visitors and Washington citizens more keenly in the coming months as Spring and summer approach. However, the longer-term impact will be perhaps even more devastating for our national parks and forests unless we change course.
