Dexter Leads Oregon Lawmakers in Standing Up for Wildfire Response and Research

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Maxine Dexter (OR-03) today led a letter with Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Janelle Bynum (OR-05) that raises the alarm over the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) plan to close the U.S. Forest Service's Region 6 headquarters in Portland and Pacific Northwest Research Station in Corvallis.

In a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, the Oregon Democratic delegation warned the closures would gut wildfire response capacity, cripple long-term scientific research, and abandon 246 expert staff-all while the Pacific Northwest faces record staffing shortages and escalating fire seasons.

"Forests cover over half of Oregon. Over 15.6 million acres are managed by the Forest Service. Forests remain Oregon's most abundant natural resource and support over 62,300 forest sector jobs with higher-than-average wages," the lawmakers wrote.

"The proposed closure of the Region 6 office comes at a time when the Forest Service is already facing severe staffing shortages, with the Pacific Northwest well into fire season…This shortage of personnel means that critical wildfire response efforts are increasingly strained. The proposed reorganization, including the closure of regional offices, will likely exacerbate this situation, reducing the Forest Service's ability to manage wildfires effectively and coordinate resources across the region."

To underscore the urgency, the Oregon delegation posed eight specific questions demanding clarity on how USDA will protect Oregon's forests, workers, and communities:

1. How will the Department ensure meaningful and accessible engagement with stakeholders, tribes, and local governments in Oregon following these closures?

2. How does the Department plan to address the growing wildfire management challenges in the Pacific Northwest, especially given the current staffing shortages?

3. How will the Department ensure continuity of long-term research projects specific to the ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest, including the experimental forests?

4. What is the plan to maintain existing research partnerships with Oregon's academic institutions?

5. What are the Department's plans for the approximately 246 full-time employees currently stationed at the Pacific Northwest Research Station in Portland?

6. How do the consolidated regional and state offices bring employees closer to the customer and community that they serve, particularly when there are specific geographic specialties among staff?

7. What analysis was done to identify the new hubs?

8. What is the Department's timeline for implementing this reorganization?

The full text of the delegation's letter to Secretary Rollins is available here.

###