Interior chief warns of broad shutdown impact

A shutdown, which Salazar expressed hope will be avoided, would also harm tens of thousands of department employees, he said.

“A Government shutdown would also have a very real and personal impact on more than 50,000 public servants within the Department of the Interior. Furloughed employees will face uncertainty about the next paycheck at a time when many families are getting by on one income instead of two, or are stretching their budgets to make mortgage payments, put gas in the car, or get a child through college,” the memo states.

Here is the whole thing:

Dear Department of the Interior Team,


I know – and the American people know – your dedication to your work and the passion you have for the protection of resources, supporting Indian nations, serving insular communities, and other important missions we perform. As public servants, you are making sacrifices to serve your Country. I honor you, support you, and have the deepest respect for your work.



I am still hopeful that the Congress will come to an agreement on the budget before midnight on Friday. President Obama is fully engaged and has made clear that his Administration will continue to work day and night to help find a solution that all sides can live with. 



While we remain hopeful that Congress will take action to avoid a Government shutdown, we must also be prepared in case they do not.



For the American people, a shutdown of the Department of the Interior’s services would disrupt everything from family vacations and small businesses that rely on tourism to renewable energy projects. Visitors to America’s national parks, wildlife refuges, and BLM public lands will be turned away. Most U.S. Geological Survey scientific work, data collection and analysis will be halted. And many economic and social programs administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs will temporarily cease. 



A Government shutdown would also have a very real and personal impact on more than 50,000 public servants within the Department of the Interior. Furloughed employees will face uncertainty about the next paycheck at a time when many families are getting by on one income instead of two, or are stretching their budgets to make mortgage payments, put gas in the car, or get a child through college. 



I know there are many questions about what will happen in the event of a shutdown. It is therefore vital that you receive as much information as possible to help prepare for the possibility of a shutdown. Through the day today and tomorrow at DOI.gov and oneINTERIOR, we will be making available more detailed information about your bureau or office’s contingency plans. Under those plans, some programs that have available funding would continue. For programs experiencing a lapse in appropriated funding, only limited functions would continue, such as those necessary to respond to emergencies and to protect human life or property. 



Your supervisor will soon be informing you if you are an excepted or non-excepted employee – and therefore whether you would be furloughed or not furloughed — under the contingency plan. I encourage you to consult with your supervisor if you have any questions. oneINTERIOR and the Office of Personnel Management websites will be posting additional information frequently, and, if an agreement is not reached, I will be addressing you by video tomorrow. 



If a shutdown happens, it is vital that we follow the direction we receive and execute our contingency plans efficiently and effectively. Knowing our Department and the quality of our team, I am confident we can carry out even this difficult mission with professionalism and grace.



Let us all continue to hope that Congress can reach an agreement so that we may continue to deliver for the American people as we always do, day in and day out. And let us continue to support one another as colleagues, as servants of the American people, and as one team. 

Thank you,
 
  
Ken Salazar /s/