Northern Minnesota Senators demand answers concerning layoffs from federal government

Kalli Hawkins | February 21, 2025

As federal layoffs continue throughout the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and other agencies, Minnesota’s U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and District 3 State Senator Grant Hauschild are demanding answers from the federal government about its impact on public safety, preservation of public lands, visitor services, recreation, and more.

“We are concerned about the recent firings and staff reductions within the Department of Interior and at Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota and the impact it will have on Minnesotans,” Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar wrote in a Feb. 20 letter to U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

In the letter, Smith and Klobuchar cited a recent Star Tribune article, stating that nationwide, more than 2,000 workers were fired from the Department of Interior, including a number who provide critical services in Minnesota, such as national park rangers.

“These public servants support the park’s key functions, facilitating the public’s connection to the park and access to the outdoors,” the letter read.

Smith and Klobuchar explained they are willing to work across party lines to save taxpayer money and improve federal government efficiencies. However, they wrote in the letter, “We should not use efficiency as an excuse to provide trillions of dollars of tax cuts to billionaires like Elon Musk and their big corporations while putting park safety, park visitor centers, and educational efforts at risk.”

Furthermore, Smith and Klobuchar demanded answers to the reasoning provided to laid-off employees, a list of all National Park Service staff who were fired in Minnesota, and how the layoffs will impact National Park operations.

A list of the questions included in the Feb. 20 letter are below:

As such, we request you provide written answers to the following questions by March 6, 2025:

1. What was the process NPS used in reviewing staff performance, and what criteria were used to determine who was fired?

2. Please share a list of all NPS staff in Minnesota who were fired.

3. Please provide a breakdown of NPS staff in Minnesota who were fired and:

a. were recently promoted

b. are veterans

c. were probationary employees who were previously employed by the federal

government immediately prior to their most recent role

d. were probationary employees who were not previously employed by the federal

government

4. How did NPS assess the public safety impact of these firings?

5. What is NPS’s plan to maintain the same level of public safety with fewer trained staff? Please be specific.

6. How will these layoffs impact park operations?

7. How will the NPS have enough staff to handle heavy season (May-September) summer visitors in a responsible way when parks are already overrun now?

8. How will reduced staff affect the safety and environmental well-being of Voyageurs?

9. What offices and staff were involved in the determination of these firings?

10. Were decisions made solely by “DOGE” (“Department of Government Efficiency”) staff or Department political appointees?

11. Were career staff consulted about these decisions?

12. Please provide a list of staff involved in meetings and communications about these firings, including anyone representing “DOGE,” any career staff, and current or former Department political appointees.

Read Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar’s letter to U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum here.

Yesterday, Senator Grant Hauschild also sent a letter to the federal government addressed to President Donald Trump requesting answers to the decision to cut 2,000 Forest Service employees, including those that manage the Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

“The Superior National Forest and Boundary Waters are not only treasured landscapes but also vital to Minnesota’s economy, supporting tourism, local businesses, and countless recreational activities,” Hauschild wrote in the letter. “Without adequate staffing, the ability to manage these resources sustainably and safely is compromised, risking both environmental degradation and economic loss.”

Hauschild explained how the decision to cut the federal positions is not merely a line item on a budget sheet but that “it affects real people, real families, and entire communities that rely on these jobs.”

“I urge you to rescind your decision, recognizing the invaluable contribution of these Forest Service employees to northern Minnesota’s prosperity and environmental stewardship,” Hauschild said.

Read Senator Grant Hauschild’s letter to President Donald Trump here.

The Forest Service has not responded to WTIP’s request for comment.

WTIP can confirm that several Cook County residents who were employed by the U.S. Forest Service have been impacted by the federal layoffs.

WTIP will continue to follow the story, and additional information is forthcoming.