Trump admin’s hiring freeze leads to cuts at Massachusetts recreation areas

Local recreation areas this summer will have “significantly reduced services” because of the Trump administration’s hiring freeze, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The New England District on Monday announced that the agency is not hiring its “summer Rangers” to manage the recreation side of its programs during the summer months.

“Due to the hiring freeze, we are unable to hire the ‘summer Rangers,’ ” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District said in a statement. “We are prioritizing public safety over recreation.”

As a result of these hiring cuts, the agency’s recreation areas across Massachusetts and New England this summer will have reduced hours, limited access to facilities, and “significantly reduced services.”

“We appreciate your understanding as we work to serve you with limited staff,” the agency added.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District has constructed 11 flood risk management protection dams, one hurricane protection barrier, the Cape Cod Canal, and the Charles River Natural Valley Storage Area in Massachusetts.

USACE, working with Massachusetts agencies, provides outdoor recreational opportunities at each of the 11 Corps-operated flood risk management reservoirs located within the state, as well as along the Cape Cod Canal.

“The lands and waters of these civil works water resource projects are managed to conserve the natural resources as well as for the primary authorized purpose of flood risk management,” reads the agency’s website.

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The agency’s recreation areas in Massachusetts are the: Cape Cod Canal; Barre Falls Dam in Hubbardston; Birch Hill Dam in Royalston; Buffumville Lake in Charlton; Conant Brook Dam in Monson; East Brimfield Lake in Fiskdale; Hodges Village Dam in Oxford; Knightville Dam in Huntington; Littleville Lake in Huntington; Tully Lake in Royalston; West Hill Dam in Uxbridge; and Westville Lake in Southbridge.

When President Trump entered office in January, he implemented a hiring freeze for federal civilian employees. Then Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth imposed a freeze on hiring Department of Defense civilians.

“While the Department remains under the hiring freeze, DoD will only hire mission-essential employees into positions that directly contribute to our warfighting readiness,” Hegseth said in a previous memo.

“We will hire and retain employees that are central to the Department’s core warfighting mission while exercising stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” wrote Jules Hurst III, Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. “As we optimize DoD’s civilian workforce, we will employ a deliberate process to align our civilian workforce against the President’s top national security priorities. Together, we will continue to build our readiness, deter and defeat our enemies, and achieve peace through strength.”

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