Forest Service Plans to Close Sub-$1 Labs as It Keeps $1 Million Research Hub
Updated
Updated · NPR · Jun 6
Forest Service Plans to Close Sub-$1 Labs as It Keeps $1 Million Research Hub
3 articles · Updated · NPR · Jun 6
Summary
Forest Service closure plans target research hubs that cost less than $1 to rent while leaving open a facility with roughly $1 million in rent.
The agency says the shutdowns are needed to live within its means, but the rent gap undercuts its cost-cutting rationale and raises the prospect of higher taxpayer costs.
The dispute centers on research facilities, making the decision not just a budget move but a reshaping of where Forest Service science work is based.
The contrast between near-free labs and a seven-figure site sharpens scrutiny of how the agency is defining savings as it pares operations.