WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) joined 35 Senate colleagues in raising strong concerns about the reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“We write with strong concerns regarding the announced reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS),” wrote the Senators. “While we have expressed support for improving the operations of the USFS, we believe the reorganization announced on March 31, 2026, may lead to additional capacity and workforce reductions throughout the agency, harming its ability to deliver on its mission.”
The Forest Service is responsible for crucial land management activities in approximately 18.6 million acres in Arizona, roughly 25% of the state.
“The USFS is charged with managing the 193 million-acre National Forest System (NFS), performing world-class forestry research, and delivering forestry assistance to improve the management of the more than 800 million acres of public and private forestlands across the country, including over 141 million acres of urban forests in our cities and towns,” the Senators continued. “After the deep cuts over the previous year, a 2025 survey by the Partnership for Public Service found that the USFS was significantly worse at fulfilling stakeholder needs and providing quality service than a year earlier. In addition, the sweeping changes being proposed – potentially impacting more than 6,500 employees – combined with the thousands of employees already lost through deferred resignation programs threatens to further erode the agency’s ability to complete its mission.”
Read the full letter HERE.
Last year, Senator Gallego backed the Save Our Forests Act to fully restore staffing levels at both agencies, ensuring that America’s national parks and forests remain accessible, safe, and well-maintained.