- The U.S. Forest Service is restructuring, moving headquarters to Salt Lake City.
- The agency will shift from regional to state-based hubs, closing nine regional offices.
- Critics worry about the impact on science and national perspective; no wildfire management changes planned.
SALT LAKE CITY — Last week, the U.S. Forest Service announced a massive restructuring of the agency responsible for 193 million acres of federal public land. It includes moving its headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City.
“This is about common sense. It’s about smarter government. It’s government where the people are at,” Forest Service chief Tom Schultz told the Deseret News in an interview the day after the announcement last week.
“It’s about saving money, being more efficient, getting more work done, partnering (with states, tribes and local governments) and also being prepared … for this upcoming fire season.”…