Key facts
- Trump administration is continuing with Forest Service reorganization despite a court order blocking it.
- Plan includes moving headquarters to Salt Lake City and closing 23 research stations.
- Judge Vince Chhabria halted the plan, citing potential violations of funding restrictions and job loss risks.
- Administration has scaled back some closures, but nearly two dozen research stations remain slated for closure.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated Thursday that the Trump administration is continuing with its plan to reorganize the Forest Service, despite a federal judge's order last week halting the changes. The administration aims to relocate the Forest Service headquarters from Washington to Salt Lake City, close 23 research stations, and replace regional offices with state-level ones. Rollins emphasized the administration's belief in the plan, which seeks to bring the USDA closer to rural America. Critics, including federal employee unions and environmental groups, argue the reorganization is a ploy for workforce cuts and could lead to thousands of employees choosing between relocation or job loss. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria's order cited potential violations of congressional funding restrictions. While some research facilities initially facing closure will remain open, nearly two dozen are still slated to close.