National Park Service faces cuts

The Trump administration is pushing new National Park Service cuts just as parks head into the 2026 summer rush with sharply reduced staffing. (aol.com) (whitehouse.gov) President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2027 budget, released April 3, proposes a $736 million cut to park operations, more than 25% below current levels. (npca.org) (sfgate.com) Senators said at an April 22 appropriations hearing that the plan would cut nearly 3,000 more National Park Service positions. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the proposal and said the agency plans to hire 5,500 seasonal workers. (alaskapublic.org) (aol.com) (doi.gov) The staffing fight lands after the Park Service already lost about 25% of its workforce last year through buyouts, early retirements and other departures. Congress wrote into the fiscal 2026 spending package that Interior must maintain adequate staffing levels and notify lawmakers before major reorganizations. (federalnewsnetwork.com) (npca.org) The pressure is already visible at parks. Yosemite visitors hit two-hour entrance waits during spring break, North Cascades lacked staff to open a visitor center, and Death Valley shut off water at two campgrounds. (aol.com) Yosemite’s congestion was compounded by the Park Service’s elimination of the park’s timed-entry reservation system before the spring travel surge. A Yosemite union member told the Los Angeles Times they were “really nervous and anxious” about summer. (aol.com) Burgum says the department can improve service by shifting more employees into “visitor-facing roles” and extending seasonal jobs to nine months instead of six if Congress approves the money. Interior announced that realignment as part of a broader efficiency initiative last week. (doi.gov) (aol.com) Lawmakers from both parties sounded skeptical. Sen. Patty Murray said the proposed cuts to facilities, maintenance and support staff were “a recipe for disaster,” and Sen. Lisa Murkowski said parks cannot be managed “unless we have the people there.” (alaskapublic.org) The budget battle now moves to Congress, which rejected similar cuts once already. Until that fight is settled, parks are entering peak season with fewer workers, longer lines and less room for error. (federalnewsnetwork.com) (aol.com)