U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono, alongside several colleagues, has called for immediate action from U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to address staffing shortages at the National Park Service. This appeal comes in response to a hiring freeze implemented during President Trump’s administration, which resulted in the cancellation of thousands of job offers for seasonal park employees and buyout offers made without clear legal authority.
The Senators expressed concern over the impact of these actions on national parks, particularly as they face increased visitation during peak summer months. They warned that “visitor centers may close, bathrooms will be filthy, campgrounds may close,” and essential services like guided tours and emergency responses could be severely affected.
The lawmakers also criticized the administration’s offer of deferred resignation and voluntary early retirement to park staff, fearing it would exacerbate existing staffing issues. They noted that “the National Park Service lost 15% of its staff while park visitation also increased by 15%” due to budget caps in previous years.
Highlighting the economic significance of national parks, they emphasized that “an estimated 325 million park visitors spent an estimated $26.4 billion in local gateway regions” in 2023 alone. The letter underscored the potential harm to local economies reliant on tourism if staffing issues persist.
In addition to Senator Hirono, other signatories include Senators Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Angus King, Martin Heinrich, Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Maria Cantwell, Dick Durbin, John Fetterman, Kirsten Gillibrand, John Hickenlooper, Chris Van Hollen, Tim Kaine, Edward J. Markey, Jon Ossoff, Alex Padilla, Jack Reed, Jeanne Shaheen, Bernie Sanders, Mark Warner and Ron Wyden.
The Senators concluded their letter by urging Secretary Burgum to take decisive steps to safeguard and expand the National Park Service workforce: “We urge your cooperation in protecting national parks for the enjoyment of everyone by ensuring National Park Service staffing meets the needs of the 433 national park units in all 50 states.”
