Kodiak residents are among the latest to be fired by the federal government amid national cuts.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration staff at the Kodiak office confirmed some of their peers were abruptly fired on Feb. 27. Some former National Weather Service employees also posted on social media saying they were fired. Kodiak Staff couldn’t confirm how many people were affected or what positions were cut in this wave of firings from the Trump administration.
The Kodiak Fisheries Research Center, which is partly operated by NOAA, closed its doors to the public for the rest of the day. That includes access to the island’s aquarium and touch tank.
NOAA plays a critical role in Alaska’s coastal economy, especially by managing many of the state’s commercial fisheries and helping enforce laws at sea.
It also researches the effects of climate change, an issue that Republican President Donald Trump has long criticized. Some officials braced for cuts earlier this month amid executive orders targeting climate change programs. Some
The White House’s Department of Government Efficiency, run by Elon Musk, is taking credit for dismissing thousands of federal employees as part of an attempt to cut trillions of dollars in federal spending. While some firings have been ruled as illegal in courts and led to rehiring some civil servants, many are still in limbo.
Other public entities like the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service have also faced significant cuts from the Trump administration.
Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan as well as Rep. Nick Begich were unavailable for comment on the NOAA firings.
Murkowski has previously criticized Trump for firing federal employees, saying it violates laws set by Congress.
