A new tally of last year's cuts to federal agencies is in. Between 11 and 21% of scientific and other specialized positions were eliminated in states across our region.
Prospect Partners, a consulting group made up of former federal employees, reviewed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) data. They tracked the exodus of federal workers through 2025, including experts that specialize in areas ranging from plant physiology to microbiology.
Andrea Delgado is co-author of the report and a partner with the firm. She said the work of these specialists can be underappreciated. Entomologists, a branch of zoology that focuses on insects, for example, are needed after the unseasonably warm winter spells, ahead of what could be an intense wildfire season.
"These are the people that are looking out for insects that kill our vegetation and trees and leave behind massive amounts of dry fuel," Delgado said. "So to me, no entomologists means no early detection, no mitigation and more kindling waiting for a spark."
Delgado also said the loss of the workers can have wide-ranging consequences.
"For every Westerner that relies on drinking water, from our national lands and hunts and fishes on them or depends on them to feed their livestock, they deserve to know what we're losing," she said.
In all, 35% of entomologists and half of all plant physiologists are gone, according to the report. In the Mountain West, Idaho suffered the biggest losses of people employed in biology and life science operations, a 21% reduction. For those employed in positions responsible for collecting and analyzing weather, snow, and groundwater data, New Mexico suffered the biggest loss, at 18%.
Across the country, more than 300,000 employees left the federal government last year.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Northern Colorado, KANW in New Mexico, Colorado Public Radio, KJZZ in Arizona and NPR, with additional support from affiliate newsrooms across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Eric and Wendy Schmidt.
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