WEST VIRGINIA (LOOTPRESS) – The effects of the National Park Service’s (NPS) recent workforce reductions are beginning to emerge, with West Virginia parks among those potentially impacted.
In February, nearly 1,000 NPS employees were dismissed as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to streamline government operations and cut spending.
Since then, multiple NPS sites have announced reduced hours, visitor center closures, and other service limitations.
While it is widely assumed these changes are tied to the firings, official confirmation remains elusive.
West Virginia is home to four NPS sites: New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, Bluestone National Scenic River, Gauley River National Recreation Area, and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.
While the full extent of staffing changes across these sites is unclear, sources indicate that nine employees at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in Jefferson County were among those dismissed.
The status of employees at the other three West Virginia sites remains unknown.
Just days after the firings, the NPS announced plans to rehire some affected employees and recruit nearly 3,000 seasonal workers to maintain park operations.
LOOTPRESS reached out to the NPS for further clarification regarding the impact on West Virginia’s national parks.
In response, the agency provided the following statement:
“The National Park Service is hiring seasonal workers to continue enhancing the visitor experience as we embrace new opportunities for optimization and innovation in workforce management. We are focused on ensuring that every visitor has the chance to explore and connect with the incredible, iconic spaces of our national parks.”
In addition to staffing reductions, new financial constraints have raised concerns within the agency.
On March 4, the watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) reported that several NPS employees with government-issued credit cards for work-related purchases had their spending limits abruptly reduced to just $1.
NPS employees typically use these cards for project-related expenses ranging from $2 to $10,000.
The sudden reduction shifts purchasing authority away from individual parks—such as New River Gorge National Park & Preserve—to more distant regional offices, potentially delaying essential park maintenance and operations.
We will update this story as we learn more.
