Government-wide layoffs are hitting engineers, researchers, and others at agencies in Washington state including the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). The cuts are driven by multiple initiatives, include the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and executive orders associated with climate change and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The exact number of layoffs are not immediately available, with changes continuing to take place. The national data available does not include workers who participated in the “Fork in the Road” program, voluntarily quitting their federal jobs. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that BPA could lose up to 20% of its workforce, with about 200 employees accepting the Fork in the Road and a hiring freeze on 90 additional job offers and open positions.
Earlier this week, U.S. Senator Patty Murray issued a statement in response.
Representatives Dan Newhouse and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez introduced the Reliability to Ratepayers Act to address hiring and retention issues at BPA.
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