According to a detailed note from internal agencies, the Trump administration has designated dozens of National Park Service grants, including some of which are intended to protect public land from climate change.
A spreadsheet of a possible canceled grant, i.e. cuts could save $26 million by canceling grants from universities, the National Office of Historic Preservation, tribes and the Youth Army.
This was developed by Conor Fennessy, a staff member of the government’s efficiency department at Elon Musk, two people who know the program directly. According to the two, similar grant lists have been developed in other parts of the Ministry of Home Affairs, who requested anonymity because they fear retribution.
At the National Park Service, the Doge program proposes eliminating scientists in parks, a popular program that places students and early career scientists on natural and historic landmarks to help conserve the ecosystem.
Also on the chopping block: a $67,000 climate resilience study on land around the Kinmen National Entertainment District; a $223,000 study examining the impact of climate change on Alaska glaciers; conservation efforts across the country; and a $220,000 project to protect Louisiana State University’s “Campus Mound,” two dome-shaped buildings created by Native Americans thousands of years ago.
According to the document, the reason given to the closing of these plans is “climate change/sustainability”, indicating that they were picked out because they involved issues that the Trump administration opposed to solving.
The Trump administration also objected, and others were listed as potential elimination because of “DEI” or diversity, equity and inclusion.
The termination grant listed as DEI includes funding for $462,000 in a Washington State park to better accommodate children with disabilities and $198,000 to the nonprofit Santa Monica Mountains Fund to mentor college students.
Also on the list, the Colorado State Historical Society has provided a $58,000 grant to investigate properties related to gay and trans history to nominate for the National Register of nominations.
The Trump administration lists why the grant was canceled as “LGBQ”.
Home Affairs Department spokesman Elizabeth Peace declined to comment on specific grants. She said in a statement that the agency is committed to financial responsibility.
“We are eliminating wasteful plans, cutting unnecessary costs and ensuring that every dollar has a clear purpose,” Ms Peace said. “By simplifying operations and focusing resources on conservation, responsible energy development and public land conservation, we prioritize taxpayers while maintaining our mission.”
Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs at the National Park Conservancy Association, a nonprofit that represents park advocacy, said the agency has saved very little money while losing a lot of knowledge and expertise.
“It's a penny and a pound style,” she said. “It's amazing when you look at the dollar for all these items.
Ms Brenger said cutting climate change research would harm the public visited by the park.
“The research conducted in national parks is crucial to how we evaluate the state of our land, air and water,” she said, adding that “it’s not about the politics of climate change, but about public safety and public health.”
The possibility of grant termination emerges as the Trump administration plans to make in-depth cuts in the Interior Department. The agency manages more than 500 million acres of public land across the United States, and its budget may be cut by about 30.5%, or $5.1 billion.
It is also undergoing a restructuring, which has attracted the attention of Capitol Hill Democrats.
In April, Home Secretary Doug Burgum signed an order that critics say authorized the agency's broad decision-making power.
In it, he will oversee the department's budget, human resources, contracts, federal financial aid and information technology work to the agency's policy, management and budget. The power for the position was delegated to former Duger’s member Tyler Hassen in March.
Senator Martin Heinrich, the top Democratic Senator of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, wrote a letter to Mr. Burgum on Wednesday, calling the responsibility delegation “extremely disturbing” and seeking answers about Mr. Hasson's role.
“It is confusing and very disturbing to delegate the full authority and responsibility to a non-unified person who violates the Vacancy Reform Act,” Heinrich said.
He asked about Mr. Hasson's role and information about the terminated grants, as well as employees leaving the agency in an effort to cut the size of the federal workforce.
The Vacancy Reform Act is a law passed by Congress in 1998 that provides for whom can temporarily serve positions requiring presidential appointments and Senate confirmation.
Ms Peace said the agency did not comment on the Congressional letter. But she said Mr. Burgum’s order ensures “President Donald J. Trump’s executive order restores responsibility to the American public.”
She said the agency will “continue to prioritize the retention of first responders, park services and energy production staff.”
