Masses of masses at federal agencies responsible for wildfire prevention and the management of the public country will endanger Colora Dance and endanger the mountains, rivers and grasslands of the state, said the state leaders.
President Donald Trump’s government on Friday, via a forme -mail, Thousands of probation employees dismissed About the Ministry of the Interior and the US Forest Service. They found federal agencies that manage the more than 24 million hectares of federal public land in Colorado that feed the economy of the state, make outdoor recreation possible and offer habitat for countless species.
The size of the cutbacks in Colorado remained unclear on Monday. According to the office of Gov. Jared Polis were at least 90 Forest Service employees located in Colorado. Firefighters were saved from the cuts, but other employees who worked in wildfire prevention and forest management were fired.
“It is reckless threat to Colora Dance and can further increase the insurance costs of homeowners for the Trump administration to take a hammer to those who help us protect us against forest fires by protecting the river basin and forest management, so that the scale is established for more fire hazard With potentially devastating consequences, “Polis,” Polis, “Polis,” Polis, “Polis,” Polis, “Polis,” Polis, “Polis said in a statement.” It’s fine if they don’t like how the federal government works today, But risking our health and safety without replacement is reckless. “
Federal public lands cover around 37,500 square miles in Colorado – about the third of the state – and are mainly managed by the US Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service within the Interior Department and the Forest Service, an agency within the American Ministry of Agriculture.
The dismissals followed a decision to freeze seasonal employees in the federal government, including at the National Park Service, which depends on seasonal employees to manage crowds during peak visits.
Spokespersons for the agricultural and interior departments did not respond to questions from the Denver post asking how many employees were dismissed in Colorado.
“Secretary Rollins fully supports President Trump’s guideline to optimize government operations, eliminate inefficiencies and the ability of USDA to better strengthen American farmers, farmers, loggers and agricultural community,” said a spokesperson for agriculture, “said a spokesperson from the Agriculture department in an e -mail in an e -mail in an e -mail on an e -mail in a response to a response to a response to a response to a response to an answer to an answer to a Response to a response to a response to a response to a response to a response to a response to a response to a response to a response to a response to a response to a response to an answer to a response to An answer to a response to a response to a response to an e -mail in response “We have a solemn responsibility to be good stewards of the hard -earned taxpayer dollars and to ensure that every dollar It is effectively spent to serve people, not the bureaucracy. “
The mass dismissals led the Democratic members of the Congress Delegation of Colorado to demand the recovery of employees.
The Forest Service is already confronted with critical understaffing and under -financing, US Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and American representatives. Joe Neguse, Brittany Pettersen and Jason Crow wrote In a joint letter Friday.
The forest service in Colorado manages nine national forests and two national grasslands. The jurisdiction of the agency includes beloved and iconic places such as the Indian Peaks Wilderness to the west of Boulder, the chestnut clocks outside Aspen and the country on which many of the ski resorts of the state work.
The staff of the agency throughout the country has fallen by 30%over the past three decades, even when the visit to forests increased dramatically and forest fires became more frequent and destructive. Almost all the largest forest fires in Colorado Burned on forest service.
“These officials not only maintain the health of our upper and nature habitat, but help protect our communities by reducing the risk that natural fire destroys houses and critical infrastructure,” wrote democratic legislators. “They turn off campfires, clear paths, clean bathrooms and manage trailheads. They also help companies with the permit process to use Forest Service countries, including grazers, guides, outfitters, ski areas and oil, gas and mining activities. “
The random cutbacks risk permanent damage to the federal public land of Colorado and threaten the rural communities that are economically dependent on outdoor recreation and tourism, said Mayor John Clark of Ridgway in a press release.
“The approach of President Trump for public countries is a threat to our way of life in the countryside of Colorado,” said Clark.
The dismissals are part of a broader effort led by the Trump-Empowered billionaire-businessman Elon Musk to reduce the federal government.
Dismissals are probably not deliver considerable savings on deficitHowever. When the Congressional Budget Office looked at the issue, it turned out that the government spent $ 271 billion annually on civil federal employees, with around 60% of that total to employees employed by the Defense, Domestic Security and Veteran Affairs departments.
In theory, the government could cut all those employees and still have a shortage of more than $ 1 trillion. It would continue to grow because tax revenues are needed to keep track of the growing costs of social security and medicine.
“These endings are foolish, heartless and do nothing to make the government more efficient,” said Aaron Weiss, deputy director of the Center for Western Priorities, a Conservation Advocacy Group established in Colorado. “However, they will jeopardize parks, communities, water and animals throughout the country.
“Dissing of the next generation Park Rangers, scientists and country managers of America is a recipe for literal disaster. I do not know if we first see overflowing latrines, polluted flows or deadly forest fires, but (interior secretary) Doug Burgum is already leaving a path of destruction over American parks and public countries. “
Personnel writer Nick Coltrain and the Associated Press have contributed to this story.
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