Mackenzie Kleinpeter logged at work on Friday and thought her job as a wildlife biologist and oil and gas specialist at southwest Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge’s complex was safe against recent federal redundancies.
She had heard about the thousands of terminations of probationary employees at the US Forest Service and the rumors that the National Park Service was next. On the back of her mind was also the weird E -mail earlier this week offering her a buyout for her job.
She wasn’t even sure if the offer was real.
Then her tutor called her and asked if she received an invitation to an online meeting.
“I was like ‘No, what’s going on?’ I checked my e -mail that morning and there was no meeting, and at.
Three others, and she was part of about 400 US fishing and wildlife service staff who were released for President Donald Trump’s efforts to cut back on federal government spending.
She couldn’t wrap her mind around the decision, she said as she handed her keys to her supervisor. Her position, which she started in August, came on no expense for the taxpayer; The financing came through oil and gas company fines and fees.
“There was no thought in it.” Said Kleinpeter. “They just cut everyone they could because trial staff can be fired for some reason.”
But her real concern lies in how and whether oil and gas companies dotted over the 200,000 hectares that include Lakassin, Sabine and Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge will be monitored appropriately. Now that she’s gone, it’s up to the manager that she said is missing her special education to help keep the industry on line.
“And she hardly has time to do anything but to have refuge. There will be much smaller eyes on the ground that deals with these oil and gas companies.” Said Kleinpeter. “The oil and gas companies are large, but they are there with profits, and therefore they hurt themselves on the refuge.”
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Kleinpeter handed the American representative Clay Higgins to express her concern about the dismissal, she said. He replied by stating that the federal government “must find ways to do more with less” and that he was convinced that seven employees could manage the great refuge.
Acadiana lawyer reached out to Higgins, US Senator Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy, but did not receive immediate answers. The southwest Louisiana National Wildlife Refuges Complex and US Fish and Wildlife Service refused to comment.
The cuts come after many years of shrinking workforce throughout the refugees. The complex used to have more than 30 people on the staff; When Kleinpeter arrived, she said there were 12 people and now it’s down to seven. People would leave and the budget would shrink, which did so they couldn’t rehire.
She said her attitude is likely to come up to Rehire, but not until the federal employment freezing has been lifted.
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Kleinpeter said she used her position to bring programming back to children and members of the community who had disappeared over the years.
From February 15, all scheduled events and programs are canceled.
“Now none of these children will ever learn anything about the environment here. They will never grow up worrying about refuge and as they grow older, they still won’t,” Kleinpeter said.
Kleinpeter urges residents to reach out to their representatives to express their concerns.
“The more of us complain, the more they can’t just skirt it under the rug.” Kleinpeter said, “Someone must be a voice for our region or they don’t care.”