News of more layoffs for federal workers is prompting increased concern about the repercussions of those cuts.“There are ways to cull federal service. This is not the way to do it,” said a local federal worker who asked not to be identified.On Thursday and Friday, the federal government laid off thousands of workers as part of a massive overhaul and shrinking of federal agencies around the country. The worker said while her job is currently safe, colleagues had already been let go.| MORE | Thousands fired in President Trump, Musk federal government purge“If you need a federal permit, someone needs to be there to assess and give it to you,” she said. “Just because the feds are gone doesn’t mean you don’t need the federal permits.” The exact number — and the impact of those cuts — is unclear at this point. A now-former member of the U.S. Forest Service also spoke with KCRA 3 and asked his identity not be shared.“This is such a threat to the national forest, and no one is really grasping that right now,” he said.He shared that his position handled a myriad of tasks ranging from trail work to patrolling for fire danger, keeping the forest safe for outdoor enthusiasts, photographers, campers and more of its visitors. “I believe in everything we do,” he said of the U.S. Forest Service. “We do everything out there for the public and it’s just disheartening because the forest is nonpolitical. It’s for everyone.” KCRA 3 reached out to the Forest Service Friday, but a spokesperson did not respond to requests for more information about who and how many federal workers have lost their jobs. “Nobody has any answers,” the former Forest Service member said. “It’s going to be devastating for a lot of people, especially all the outdoor enthusiast people who are no longer able to go out there and do what you want to do.”A spokesperson for District 3 Congressman Kevin Kiley, whose district includes the Tahoe National Forest, told KCRA 3 he was unavailable to discuss the layoffs Friday.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
News of more layoffs for federal workers is prompting increased concern about the repercussions of those cuts.
“There are ways to cull federal service. This is not the way to do it,” said a local federal worker who asked not to be identified.
On Thursday and Friday, the federal government laid off thousands of workers as part of a massive overhaul and shrinking of federal agencies around the country.
The worker said while her job is currently safe, colleagues had already been let go.
| MORE | Thousands fired in President Trump, Musk federal government purge
“If you need a federal permit, someone needs to be there to assess and give it to you,” she said. “Just because the feds are gone doesn’t mean you don’t need the federal permits.”
The exact number — and the impact of those cuts — is unclear at this point. A now-former member of the U.S. Forest Service also spoke with KCRA 3 and asked his identity not be shared.
“This is such a threat to the national forest, and no one is really grasping that right now,” he said.
He shared that his position handled a myriad of tasks ranging from trail work to patrolling for fire danger, keeping the forest safe for outdoor enthusiasts, photographers, campers and more of its visitors.
“I believe in everything we do,” he said of the U.S. Forest Service. “We do everything out there for the public and it’s just disheartening because the forest is nonpolitical. It’s for everyone.”
KCRA 3 reached out to the Forest Service Friday, but a spokesperson did not respond to requests for more information about who and how many federal workers have lost their jobs.
“Nobody has any answers,” the former Forest Service member said. “It’s going to be devastating for a lot of people, especially all the outdoor enthusiast people who are no longer able to go out there and do what you want to do.”
A spokesperson for District 3 Congressman Kevin Kiley, whose district includes the Tahoe National Forest, told KCRA 3 he was unavailable to discuss the layoffs Friday.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
