In September we wrote that the U.S. Forest Service is essentially killing off temporary jobs in 2025. With the exception of firefighters, the Service won’t fill positions for things like campground maintenance workers. But temporary workers aren’t the only things RVers will see less of. These Forest Service budget cuts could get much more personal.
Outhouse pumping endangered by Forest Service budget cuts
A story carried by marketplace.org highlighted just one other feature where Forest Service dollar-stretching only goes so far. Out West, in the Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF), visitors need a place to go when they visit. There are 62 vault toilets in BTNF territory—and all of them need to be pumped out every year.
In 2023, the Service got a quote of $120,000 to pump out those 62 toilets. It would have broken the agency’s recreation budget, and due to the complex rules around fee negotiation, it looked like the toilets would have to be locked. We all know what that would lead to—and it isn’t a pretty picture.
Friends group steps in
Stepping up to the plate was a nonprofit group, Friends of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Instead of the Forest Service handing over $120,000, the friends group was able to legally negotiate with septic pumping companies. The group was able to get the job done for about a third of what the Forest Service was quoted.
That’s not the only thing public lands “friends” groups can do. When there’s a need that exceeds the ability of a strained budget, these groups can do fund raising—something a government agency can’t do.
And friends groups are something that the Forest Service may need more and more. At present, Congress is running out of time to get a budget in place. The Forest Service has already prepared itself for tight times. It asked lawmakers for $8.9 billion, and it appears it will get a half-billion less than that. Additionally, funds that the agency receives from two sources, the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, will dry up soon, as both will expire soon.
Meanwhile, in Bridger-Teton, the old joke about “If it weren’t for your plumber, you’d have no place to go” takes on new meaning. Without friends groups, who really would pump the poopers?
##RVT1183b
We pay $5.00 on the Pa. Turnpike to “dump”. Would be glad to do that to help the Forest Service people out. That’s a fair price for an essential service.
You want to pay $5 to use a pit toilet? They weren’t talking about dump sites.
Why private organizations are able to negotiate a price over 2/3 less than our parks can ?
Because t he government seem to love to be fleeced. $3k toilet seats anyone?
Yes. Fleecing=Kickbacks…
Because ever since “privatization” aka outsourcing work to private interests that was introduced in the 80s as a solution to all of our problems, the army of lobbyists for the companies feeding at the federal trough have found all sorts of ways to prime the pump. This includes getting congress to write into law limitations to the negotiation power federal agencies have with private interests. Perfect storm that comes with unlimited and dark money in our politics. Give a fat contribution to your favorite industry PAC, and they take care of buying off the lawmakers.
Looking forward to the Office of Government Efficiency [temporarily] established to rein in “questionable” expenditures and streamline government services.
Be careful what you wish for. Musk will see to it that public lands are sold off to the highest bidder for development, golf courses, drilling and amusement parks.
Use your Senior Pass before it’s gone, because I’m sure that’s going away.
Things are going to look very different in the next couple years.
Elections have consequences.
When government “can’t afford” free volunteers but can dump billions into political campaigns, there’s a friggin’ problem.
You know it’s hard to nail down a number of what it costs us to pay for illegal aliens food,housing,transportation and medical care. It has to be in the billions. That money could be used to fix our public campgrounds and hire the people they need.
There will be a new leadership in 2025 🇺🇸
Thank you, Russ and Tina! Yes, bureaucratic red tape can be exasperating and expensive. There is benefit to having procedures, but sometimes they prove outdated and in sore need of revision. Have a great day and safe travels!