Many thanks to the folks at retiree organization the Rocky Mountaineers for providing this information.
Discussion of the FS Reorganization on NPR
NPR’s 1A announced that on Wednesday, April 15, they will be talking about the proposed USFS reorganization.
The program airs from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Click here to listen to WAMU online.
This page gives you options for connecting, including smart speaker (e.g., ALEXIS), phones, and computers.
If you listen online with this link, the program will run from 10:00 to 12:00 Eastern time. WAMU is the public radio station for American University, located in Washington, DC.
If you listen on your local NPR radio station, the program will probably run from 10:00 to 12:00 local time. Check to make sure. In Colorado, all NPR stations run the program starting at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time.
NAFSR Chair Bill Avey will be one of the panelists on the show. FS Chief Schultz is also on the panel.
They also asked for callers to provide comments and information in advance of the show.
Their contact information is below.
This is an opportunity to get heard. Feel free to send this to your contacts.
1A Contact Info:
Phone: 1-855-236-1212
Text: 1-844-777-7050
Email: [email protected]
You can also put your question in the comments here, and we’ll see which ones get answered. Mine is “how many people will be left in DC and what will they be doing?”
Chief Schultz has stated repeatedly that the reorganization will have ‘no impact in any way, shape or form’ on wildfire readiness this season. But employees are receiving memos telling them their duty station will change, with specifics about ‘exactly where, when, and into what position’ still undetermined. How can there be a guarantee zero disruption to fire readiness when supervisors don’t yet know where their people will be?
At least 57 of 77 research stations in 31 states are closing , eliminating long-term data sets that took decades to build. Some of these locations come with $0 lease agreements to universities and other partners, which is directly against the cost-savings initiatives of this administration. You’ve called this “reducing redundancy.” Can you name one specific example of redundancy that justified closing a station – and explain how the research those stations conducted will be replicated?
At a Senate hearing, you declined to commit to releasing FY2025 USFS funds by August 15, as required by law, even after senators noted that the GAO had determined similar fund withholding by other agencies violated the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act. Do you believe withholding those funds is legal, and if so, on what legal authority?