Neguse, Bennet, Hickenlooper Demand Answers to DOGE Lease Cancellations for Land Management Agencies in Colorado

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Joe Neguse (CO-02), Ranking Member of the Federal Lands Subcommittee, and Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper called for immediate clarification regarding recent announcements from the Trump Administration that nearly twenty federal leases for land management agencies are to be terminated throughout Colorado. These cancellations come as part of the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” or DOGE’s nationwide gutting of federal agencies and mass firings of federal employees.  

In Colorado, the impacted agencies listed on DOGE’s “Wall of Receipts”, included the National Park Service and Forest Service, among numerous others. 

“We write requesting immediate clarification regarding recent announcements from the Administration on the planned termination of nearly twenty facility leases in Colorado. These lease cancellations include facilities for federal land and natural resource management agencies, which play an integral role in the federal government’s resilience to wildfire, response to drought, and management of our public lands,” the Colorado lawmakers wrote.

Neguse, Bennet, and Hickenlooper continued by calling specific attention to the impact these closures would have on the state’s ability to combat the increased threat of wildfires, stating: “As federal agencies, states, and local communities work to prepare for heightened wildfire and drought risk during the warmer summer months ahead, we are extremely concerned about the risk that the closure of USFS or Department of Interior (DOI) facilities in Colorado could result in a decrease of our state’s wildfire preparedness, ability to respond to drought conditions, and react to other threats to public safety. As one particularly concerning example, DOGE’s list of terminations includes the Supervisor’s Office for the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest in Fort Collins. Closure of that facility would directly affect wildfire emergency operations during an active wildfire, including dispatch and incident command. This facility also supports important research that makes us more resilient to wildfire. The decision to terminate this lease would have detrimental effects not just for the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, but for nearby communities.”  

In recent years, Colorado has experienced several devastating wildfires, with 2020 and 2021 seeing some of the largest and most destructive events in state history, including the Cameron Peak Fire, East Troublesome Fire, and Marshall Fire. The termination of noted leases would be detrimental to not only the management of public lands but also the safety of residents and state visitors.  

The lawmakers also made note of the significant uncertainty around the status of federal leases that are listed on the DOGE website, demanding increased transparency in the group’s decision-making process and rollout, and asking for immediate answers to the following questions: 

1. What is the current status of all USFS and DOI facility leases in Colorado, including but not limited to the following offices:
2. USFS facility at 2150 Centre Avenue, Building E in Fort Collins;
3. NPS and USFWS facility at 1201 Oakridge Drive in Fort Collins; and
4. USGS facilities at 3215 Marine Street and 4725 Nautilus Court in Boulder.
5. What criteria were utilized to determine which facility leases would be terminated across the United States? Why have the status of leases changed without notification or explanation on DOGE’s website?
6. What is the timeline for these leases to be terminated?
7. What impacts would terminating the leases for DOI and USFS facilities have on wildfire readiness and emergency response operations leading into the summer months?
8. How will Federal agencies accomplish their mission, meet statutory requirements, and continue to provide critical services without dedicated office space?
9. Where will current employees with duty stations at these facilities, including those returning to in- person work to comply with the Return to In-person Presidential Action, work once these leases have been cancelled? Will employment terminations occur as a result of their office’s lease termination? 

The full text of their letter, penned to Stephen Ehikian the Acting Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration, is available HERE. 

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