On March 31st, the U.S. Forest Service is packing up its headquarters from Washington, D.C., and heading west to Salt Lake City. Officials drop this news Tuesday as part of a major agency shake-up, swapping out nine regional offices for 15 state directors to oversee. National forests closer to home.
In Montana, the Missoula Regional spot shifts to Helena for state duties. Cheyenne, Wyoming picks up North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Idaho lands its own director in Boise. Meanwhile, Missoula transforms into one of five National Operations Service Centers for stuff like engineering and tech support alongside spots in.
Albuquerque Athens, Fort Collins, Madison, and Placerville. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins calls it a smart move to get leaders nearer the forest, cut taxpayer costs, and boost hiring. Former Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth sees upsize for states ditching regional hassles, but questions parking topics in Salt Lake City instead. Of D.C.
for Congress Chats. Some folks raise eyebrows over Utah's pushback on federal lands. Missoula holds onto its Rocky Mountain Research Station for wildfire and eco-work, though Bozeman and hungry horse sights shut down. Firefighting stays steady from the Boise Center.
The setup echoes the Bureau of Land Management's state-focused model, with directors linking up on policy, comms, and tribal ties while forests handle. Daily Ops. All nine regional offices close, trimming buildings and overhead. This streamlines the agency to laser-ran on forest management, where it counts most.