‘No plans for RIFs’ at Interior Dept, Burgum tells House appropriators
Federal News Network • • nation
Key Points:
- The Interior Department, under Secretary Doug Burgum, has halted plans for a reduction in force (RIF) after previously announcing layoffs of over 2,000 employees last fall, instead completing a voluntary buyout and early retirement offer.
- Congress rejected proposed cuts to the National Park Service (NPS) in the FY 2026 spending package, mandating adequate staffing and requiring advance notice for major reorganizations or workforce reductions.
- The National Park Service lost about 25% of its workforce last year, with the department now prioritizing filling public-facing roles within parks rather than remote or back-office positions.
- The Interior Department is consolidating its wildland firefighting programs and personnel, merging some functions with the Agriculture Department’s Forest Service as part of the FY 2027 budget proposal, pending a feasibility study mandated by Congress.
- Secretary Burgum emphasized that recent staffing changes reflect internal transfers rather than cuts, focusing on deploying personnel directly in parks and firefighting efforts.
