GREENFIELD RECORDER • March 3, 2025
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Department Service’s Northeast regional headquarters in Hadley, Mass., is proposed to close on Aug. 31 as part of the initiative to end leases for 164 federal office spaces nationwide, according to a list leaked by a government whistleblower. It’s unclear how these closures will impact federal employees, including the estimated 200 employees in the Hadley-based office. None of this information had been communicated to elected officials. Federal workers at the Hadley headquarters oversee 79 wildlife refuges located in 13 states from Maine to Virginia. “The people we’re talking about here protect and conserve our wildlife,” said U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, whose district includes Hadley. “They protect our open spaces and our environment. These are essential public servants. What their government should be saying to them is ‘thank you,’ rather than this.”