A joint statement by SSA President Heather DeShon and President-Elect Susan Bilek
15 February 2025 — The recent termination of thousands of federal employees, including employees within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of Energy and Department of Commerce, will undermine the critical scientific expertise required to keep the country safe from natural hazards and provide national security.
Employees within the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Laboratories, among others throughout the federal government, are on the front lines of protecting the American people against earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions and tsunami. These people play a key role in U.S. monitoring of international nuclear weapons development and testing. They aid in national efforts to explore and extract oil, natural gas and geothermal resources.
These unexpected departures impact the critical infrastructure that keeps the United States safe. This important infrastructure includes regional seismic networks and access to real-time data that provide information about ongoing earthquakes and aftershocks, earthquake and tsunami warning systems, and ground shaking assessments. This information is used by federal, state and local organizations as well as private institutions for post-earthquake response and recovery.
Research by government scientists complements academic research. The federal government has a unique role in providing research that translates quickly into actionable information that saves lives, buildings and money. Disruption to this research and service will impact the safety and security of U.S. citizens.
SSA will continue to work with its fellow scientific societies to monitor changes to these critical programs. We urge all SSA members to contact your congressional representatives and express your support for the federal workforce and investment that help our communities monitor, protect and prepare for earthquakes.