PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 19, 2025
Workers at Acadia National Park were laid off last week as part of a mass firing of about 10,000 federal employees to slash government spending. The eight Acadia National Park employees laid off represent a 10% reduction of year-round staff for one of the state’s busiest tourist attractions. The terminated Acadia workers are among 1,000 National Park Service employees who were fired as President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk make dramatic cuts to the federal workforce. Acadia National Park has received nearly 4 million visitors annually since the pandemic, and last year, it brought in over $475 million in visitor spending and contributed $685 million in economic output. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she is continuing to work with Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum “on the remaining problems caused by the sweeping hiring freeze and the elimination of probationary workers.”