Today we zoom in on layoffs, restructuring, and reorganizations across multiple departments, and cover wins and losses for wildlife and parks.

Interior Department Layoffs and DOGE Departure

A newly surfaced internal document reveals the full scope of expected layoffs at the Department of the Interior: 1,400 office locations now flagged for cuts across agencies, including the Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, and others. Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative loses its most prominent placement in government—former Texas oil executive Tyler Hassen has officially left his role as principal deputy assistant secretary at Interior. His short but sweeping tenure had been marked by mass firings and controversial authority, drawing sharp criticism from Senate Democrats.

NEPA Overhaul Proposal Sparks Backlash

Just before adjourning for recess, House Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) introduced the SPEED Act, a bill aimed at overhauling the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The legislation would narrow what counts as a “major federal action,” reduce opportunities for litigation, and redefine “reasonably foreseeable” impacts—potentially weakening long-term climate considerations in environmental reviews.
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), the committee’s top Democrat, criticized the bill as “an assault on our environmental protections and public input,” saying it would “shield polluters from scrutiny” and “bury the climate risks of massive fossil fuel projects.”

Senate Appointments Advance Despite Opposition

The Senate remains in session this week to finalize several presidential appointments. Among them is Michael Boren, the controversial nominee for Undersecretary of Agriculture, who advanced out of committee by a 12–11 vote, with all Democrats opposed. Richard Fordyce was also approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee for Undersecretary of Agriculture for Farm Production and Conservation, with broader bipartisan support at 19–4.
In addition, Brian Nevsik, nominated to lead the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was placed on the Senate’s executive calendar and is expected to be confirmed by the end of the week.

NOAA and Marine Mammal Funding Still in Negotiation

The Senate is also working to finalize several appropriations bills this week, including those funding the Departments of Agriculture and Transportation, as well as potential budget provisions affecting NOAA and Marine Mammal Protection programs. As of recording, negotiations were still ongoing, and final language had not been released—so specifics remain uncertain. Lawmakers are expected to wrap these discussions soon.

USDA Reorganization Plan Draws Scrutiny

The Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing this week on USDA’s reorganization proposal, which includes closing DC-based offices and cutting additional staff. Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden emphasized flexibility, but lawmakers on both sides of the aisle criticized the lack of transparency. Conservation groups warned of long-term impacts to National Forests and ecological research, including the proposed closure of the Southern Research Station in Asheville, NC.

Shawnee National Forest Gains New Protections

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin introduced the Shawnee National Forest Conservation Act this week, aiming to preserve over 12,000 acres of forest as a special management area and add 750 acres of new designated wilderness. The legislation is designed to safeguard wilderness-quality landscapes while allowing for limited management activities that aren’t typically permitted in federally designated wilderness. If passed, the bill would expand Illinois’s existing wilderness protections and provide new conservation tools for the state’s largest national forest.

Sage Grouse Vanish from North Dakota

For the first time, no active Sage Grouse leks were found in North Dakota this spring. The once-iconic species appears to be extirpated from the state, with steep population declines driven by habitat loss from oil and gas development. This comes as the Trump Administration plans to revise or rescind protections in the Biden-era Sage Grouse Management Plan.

A Win for Parks in Texas

A bright spot this week: the early success of the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund in Texas. Passed in 2023, the $1 billion fund is already adding public lands and developing new state parks. With 5,000 acres added so far and the upcoming opening of Post Oak Ridge State Park, the state is beginning to address its low park acreage per capita. Advocates hope this is just the beginning of a larger commitment to public access.

Forest Service Restructuring Deepens

The U.S. Forest Service continues its rapid reorganization, with direction from Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins to close all nine regional offices within a year. Wilderness program staff across the country have been reassigned, taken new positions or resigned, and 8 out of 9 regional wilderness coordinator positions now sit vacant. The effects are felt on the ground.

“Wilderness managers across the country, from the dirt to D.C., are the backbone of wilderness stewardship. They ensure that the theory of America’s National Wilderness Preservation System is turned into practice on the ground. They are public servants who take seriously their responsibility to honor the promise of wilderness—not just for people who go there, but for every single one of America’s 350 million citizens who are owners of our 112 million-acre system. What they do matters. Wilderness matters. And it is quintessential to who we are as Americans. It’s about freedom.”

— Connie Myers, former director of the Arthur Carhart Interagency Wilderness Training Center

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