National park layoffs hit Grand Canyon
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Tourists near Desert View Watchtower at Grand Canyon National Park in December. Photo: Rabia Iclal Turan/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Trump administration's push to downsize the federal workforce has already reached Arizona's most popular national park, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Arizona has 22 national parks, monuments and recreation areas, including the Grand Canyon, one of the most visited national parks in the U.S. and a source of great pride for the state.
- National park tourism contributed $1.2 billion to the state's economy in 2023, according to a federal report released last year.
Driving the news: At least 10 National Park Service employees stationed at the Grand Canyon have been laid off, Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, told Axios.
- The park service has not provided an official count of affected employees or their positions, but a spokesperson for the Grand Canyon on Tuesday told ABC15 the workers laid off were "vital" to park operations and are appealing to try to keep their jobs.
Zoom in: Four employees who worked the south entrance of the Grand Canyon were let go, the Washington Post reported, leading to wait times last weekend that were twice as long as usual .
- Other employees who'd been fired were tasked with replacing a 12.5-mile pipeline that provides water to South Rim facilities, per the Post. The current line has experienced 85 major breaks since 2010, according to the park's website.
The big picture: The Trump administration cut about 1,000 National Park Service and 3,400 Forest Service positions nationwide in the past week.
Threat level: The Association of National Park Rangers warned the cuts could lead to slower rescue efforts, park closures, reduced hours and educational programs, and more litter.
- "If a visitor suffers a medical emergency while hiking in Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, ranger response could be delayed," association president Rick Mossman said in a statement.
What we're watching: Arizona U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego penned a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum last week asking the administration to commit to protecting Arizona's newest national monument, Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni — Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument.
- Former President Biden established the monument in 2023 at the behest of tribal and local leaders who wanted the 900,000 acres surrounding the Grand Canyon protected from mining and other development.
- Yes, but: State GOP lawmakers have tried to undo the monument designation, so far unsuccessfully, claiming the ban on uranium mining negatively impacts Arizona's revenue potential.
The bottom line: "Tribes and Arizona communities deserve to move on with the management planning process for this National Monument rather than worry that there may be attempts to remove it," the senators wrote.