Federal layoffs hit the deep-red, rural US west: 'Our public lands are under threat'

As layoffs under Trump bleed out, workers in the Mountain West fear devastating consequences for their communitiesRepublican representative McKay Erickson walked through the halls of the Wyoming capitol with a Trump 2024 pin on the front of his suit jacket. Much of Erickson's home district in Lincoln county falls under the jurisdiction of the Bridger Teton national forest and Grand Teton national park.With that federal land comes federal workers. While it appears districts in Wyoming crucial to US energy dominance have been spared the brunt of the layoffs, McKay said his forest-heavy district has not been so fortunate. He's hearing from his constituents about the layoffs, and he's troubled about the implications for his district's future. Continue reading...