Forest Service Plans Major Reorganization Without Congressional Approval

Agency aims to relocate headquarters to Utah and shutter most research facilities.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 11:05pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fractured, geometric painting of a forest ranger or forest service vehicle in motion, repeated in overlapping waves of earthy green, brown, and ochre tones, conveying the sense of disruption and change within the agency.The Forest Service's proposed reorganization plan aims to streamline operations, but faces pushback from employees and lawmakers over potential job losses and disruption to critical research.Salt Lake City Today

The U.S. Forest Service is defending its plan to relocate its headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, and shut down 57 of its 77 research facilities, as part of a major agency reorganization. The agency's chief says the intent is not to push out employees, but the move would impact about 1.5% of the agency's 30,000-person workforce. The Forest Service plans to proceed with the reorganization with or without approval from Congress.

Why it matters

The proposed Forest Service reorganization has raised concerns among employees and lawmakers about the impact on the agency's workforce and research capabilities. The plan to move hundreds of employees across the country and close most research facilities has drawn criticism, with some arguing it could lead to a loss of institutional knowledge and expertise.

The details

The Forest Service's reorganization plan includes moving its headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City, Utah, and shutting down 57 of its 77 research facilities. About 500 employees, or 1.5% of the agency's workforce, would have to relocate under the plan. The agency says the goal is to 'move more resources to forests and districts where the work is being done on a daily basis,' but the union representing Forest Service employees estimates that 6,500 workers would be affected by the headquarters relocation and 2,700 by the research center closures.

  • The Forest Service announced the reorganization plan last month.
  • The agency plans to proceed with the reorganization with or without approval from Congress.

The players

Tom Schultz

Chief of the U.S. Forest Service.

National Federation of Federal Employees

The union that represents Forest Service employees.

Steve Gutierrez

A former Forest Service firefighter and current business representative at the National Federation of Federal Employees.

Chellie Pingree

Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies.

Ryan Zinke

Former Interior Secretary under the first Trump administration.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“'The intent is not to push anyone out the door. The intent, really, is to be thoughtful about how we do this, looking at where we don't have enough staff to support a facility.'”

— Tom Schultz, Chief, U.S. Forest Service

“'They're being told to pick up their entire lives and move across the country or move, two to three hours away from their residence where they live now. Not everybody can pick up their entire life, move their kids out of school, buy a new home in another state, sell their home. That's a big lift for a lot of people, and not everybody's willing to do that, no matter how much they are dedicated to the service.'”

— Steve Gutierrez, Business Representative, National Federation of Federal Employees

“'When you take your personnel and you bring them out West, the schools are better, the cost of living is better, the opportunity to have a house is better, and you're closer to where the actual forests are. Moving things out West, I think, is important, because most of the issues are in the West.'”

— Ryan Zinke, Former Interior Secretary

What’s next

The Forest Service plans to proceed with the reorganization, with or without approval from Congress. The agency is in the early stages of contracting out a study on the feasibility of consolidating the wildland firefighting capabilities of the Forest Service and the Interior Department into a single agency, as directed by Congress in the FY 2026 spending deal.

The takeaway

The Forest Service's proposed reorganization, including the relocation of its headquarters and the closure of most research facilities, has raised concerns about the impact on the agency's workforce and its ability to effectively manage and research the nation's forests. The plan to move forward with the changes without congressional approval has added to the controversy surrounding the reorganization.