Trump administration eyes 30 percent payroll reduction at National Park Service
The Trump administration is eyeing a 30 percent payroll reduction at the National Park Service, signaling big cuts at a high-profile government agency that could make headlines during the summer vacation season.
Managers were asked to put together plans to eliminate 30 percent of payroll, a former employee who had to put together one such plan told The Hill.
The reduction would be to payroll, meaning it would not necessarily lead to a 30 percent reduction in the National Park Service’s staffing, since some workers earn more than others.
Either way, it would be a significant cut that would be felt at the service, and, if they are among the places facing job cuts, could be noticed by visitors to places such as Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park and other sites managed across the country by the National Park Service.
The ex-employee who spoke with The Hill said such a reduction likely would be felt in the near term with potential losses for rangers and janitors — and in the long term, with conservation projects potentially put at risk.
Workforce reductions have been discussed across the government as Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency look to make large cuts across federal agencies and departments.
This is the first time the 30 percent reduction plan for the National Park Service — which manages all national parks, most national monuments and other historic U.S. properties — has been reported.
The National Park Service has more than 20,000 employees, including both permanent and seasonal workers when parks staff up for the busy summer season. The source familiar with the planned cuts said they would be made to the 16,000 members of the permanent National Park Service workforce.
The Interior Department, which houses the National Park Service, declined to comment on any specific workforce reductions but acknowledged the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce costs to taxpayers.
“We do not comment on specific personnel matters,” spokesperson J. Elizabeth Peace said.
“Under President Donald J. Trump’s leadership, the Department is working to right-size the federal workforce, cut bureaucratic waste, and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently. By streamlining operations and reducing unnecessary positions, we are strengthening our ability to serve the public while making government more effective and accountable,” she added.
“We will continue working with the Department of Government Efficiency and other agencies to implement cost-saving measures that put taxpayers first while ensuring the responsible stewardship of America’s natural and cultural resources,” Peace said.
The National Park Service, like other parts of the federal government, has already seen workforce reductions through the elimination of probational employees. These federal workers held probationary status because they are new to their government jobs or positions. Some probationary workers, for example, are on that status because they were promoted to new positions.
The former employee said the cuts being planned at the National Park Service are a 30 percent total payroll cut, meaning they would include the probationary employees who were fired last month and would not be an additional 30 percent cut on top of them.
Managers were not given specific instructions on whom to cut, and each office was told to put together the list, according to the ex-staffer.
In addition, the person said the department is expected to shuffle around senior career officials who are part of the Senior Executive Service.
The anticipated cuts come as the Interior Department has already eliminated 2,300 positions, including 1,000 that were reported to be part of the Park Service.
President Trump and his allies have characterized the sweeping staff losses as efforts to cut down on fraud, waste and abuse, and the president has said that more cuts are coming.
But others say the firings are disruptive to government function — and the lives of civil servants.
Cuts at the National Park Service have the potential to be politically unpopular, as these places are both pillars of local economies and treasured destinations by many Americans across the political spectrum.
At the same time, the cuts the Trump administration have promised have hit other parts of the government that can be politically sensitive, including the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Some of these cuts have sparked worries from Republicans in Congress about how cuts are being made. Musk last week reportedly battled with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a Trump Cabinet meeting over the nature of cuts to that department.
Parks advocates have decried plans to cut down the workforce.
“Local economies will be harmed if parks are not well managed due to lack of staffing or if they are closed,” Phil Francis, chair of the executive council of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, said in an email.
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