@fedlandsgao.bsky.social
Wildland firefighters often work in remote areas without cell service, making it difficult to communicate safety information and track locations. We recently reviewed U.S.
Forest Service communication and tracking capabilities for firefighters—read more below:
www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Forest Service communication and tracking capabilities for firefighters—read more below:
www.gao.gov/products/gao...
September 25, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Wildland firefighters often work in remote areas without cell service, making it difficult to communicate safety information and track locations. We recently reviewed U.S.
Forest Service communication and tracking capabilities for firefighters—read more below:
www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Forest Service communication and tracking capabilities for firefighters—read more below:
www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Coral reefs protect shorelines from waves, storms, & floods. However, they face an increasing number of threats, including warming ocean temperatures, disease, and damage from boats.
September 15, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Coral reefs protect shorelines from waves, storms, & floods. However, they face an increasing number of threats, including warming ocean temperatures, disease, and damage from boats.
Reposted
NOAA and partners deploy mini ocean robots to collect #hurricane data
The 4-foot-long uncrewed surface vehicles aim to deliver low-cost data for research and forecasting:
research.noaa.gov/noaa-and-par...
via NOAA Research
The 4-foot-long uncrewed surface vehicles aim to deliver low-cost data for research and forecasting:
research.noaa.gov/noaa-and-par...
via NOAA Research
September 3, 2025 at 3:33 PM
NOAA and partners deploy mini ocean robots to collect #hurricane data
The 4-foot-long uncrewed surface vehicles aim to deliver low-cost data for research and forecasting:
research.noaa.gov/noaa-and-par...
via NOAA Research
The 4-foot-long uncrewed surface vehicles aim to deliver low-cost data for research and forecasting:
research.noaa.gov/noaa-and-par...
via NOAA Research
Many of our national parks have black and brown bear populations—in the video below, a colleague had a recent (safely distanced!) bear sighting in Olympic NP. If you plan to spend Labor Day weekend in bear country, check out this National Parks Service FAQ: www.nps.gov/subjects/bea...
August 28, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Many of our national parks have black and brown bear populations—in the video below, a colleague had a recent (safely distanced!) bear sighting in Olympic NP. If you plan to spend Labor Day weekend in bear country, check out this National Parks Service FAQ: www.nps.gov/subjects/bea...
A fellow GAO colleague spent two weeks backpacking in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (photo on the left) and Olympic National Park (two photos on the right) in Washington--a beautiful reminder of the myriad opportunities for exploration offered by our nation's federal lands!
August 20, 2025 at 9:55 PM
A fellow GAO colleague spent two weeks backpacking in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (photo on the left) and Olympic National Park (two photos on the right) in Washington--a beautiful reminder of the myriad opportunities for exploration offered by our nation's federal lands!
Last month the Trump administration issued an executive order centered on our National Parks directing @interior to, among other things, review the National Park Service’s deferred maintenance backlog. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Making America Beautiful Again by Improving Our National Parks
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Policy.
www.whitehouse.gov
August 1, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Last month the Trump administration issued an executive order centered on our National Parks directing @interior to, among other things, review the National Park Service’s deferred maintenance backlog. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Fellow colleagues and I recently hit the audit trail to meet with St. Paul U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to discuss how they administer their compensatory mitigation regulatory program, through which entities can offset impacts to protected areas like wetlands, and view mitigation projects in-person!
August 1, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Fellow colleagues and I recently hit the audit trail to meet with St. Paul U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to discuss how they administer their compensatory mitigation regulatory program, through which entities can offset impacts to protected areas like wetlands, and view mitigation projects in-person!
With summer in full swing, it’s time to get outside! Public lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offer plenty of recreational opportunities, including camping, fishing, hiking, and sightseeing. Check out this explainer from BLM: www.blm.gov/blog/2025-06...
BLM Public Lands: Know before you go | Bureau of Land Management
Each year, millions of people enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities on BLM Public Lands. Here are tips to ensure the visit is safe and enjoyable.
www.blm.gov
July 8, 2025 at 1:10 PM
With summer in full swing, it’s time to get outside! Public lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offer plenty of recreational opportunities, including camping, fishing, hiking, and sightseeing. Check out this explainer from BLM: www.blm.gov/blog/2025-06...
Summer is well underway and it's a great time to forage for mushrooms! In Colorado, it's prime season to find black morels. Here is a pic of a coworker's recent haul on forest land there. Try it out, but be sure to check your local rules for foraging on public lands!
July 2, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Summer is well underway and it's a great time to forage for mushrooms! In Colorado, it's prime season to find black morels. Here is a pic of a coworker's recent haul on forest land there. Try it out, but be sure to check your local rules for foraging on public lands!
June 1st marked the start of hurricane season. @NOAA and @usairforce play a critical role in gathering hurricane data to improve forecasts by flying aircraft (aka Hurricane Hunters) into the storms. Watch a video on our new report on Hurricane Hunters: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dst9...
Hurricane Hunters: Improvements Needed in Operations, Planning, and Communication
YouTube video by U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
www.youtube.com
June 3, 2025 at 2:47 PM
June 1st marked the start of hurricane season. @NOAA and @usairforce play a critical role in gathering hurricane data to improve forecasts by flying aircraft (aka Hurricane Hunters) into the storms. Watch a video on our new report on Hurricane Hunters: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dst9...
#WildfireAwarenessMonth is almost over! My GAO colleagues and I have issued recent reports on how the federal government is managing wildfire risks—read on and learn more below:
May 30, 2025 at 6:26 PM
#WildfireAwarenessMonth is almost over! My GAO colleagues and I have issued recent reports on how the federal government is managing wildfire risks—read on and learn more below:
New GAO report: Marine fisheries are critical to our economy—in 2022, they supported 2.3 million jobs. When disasters occur (think oil spills/hurricanes), an eligible entity can request assistance from NOAA Fisheries fishery resource disaster program (read more below).
April 30, 2025 at 10:04 PM
New GAO report: Marine fisheries are critical to our economy—in 2022, they supported 2.3 million jobs. When disasters occur (think oil spills/hurricanes), an eligible entity can request assistance from NOAA Fisheries fishery resource disaster program (read more below).
The Army Corps' Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center collects data on goods shipped over water that the agency uses to prioritize navigation projects. We found that they do not include the Center’s data on commercial fishing in the prioritization. See report: www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107447
Army Corps of Engineers: Commercial Fishing Data Could Help Inform Budget Process
The Army Corps of Engineers maintains harbors and channels that people use to transport commercial goods and fish caught offshore. The Corps collects...
www.gao.gov
April 29, 2025 at 5:55 PM
The Army Corps' Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center collects data on goods shipped over water that the agency uses to prioritize navigation projects. We found that they do not include the Center’s data on commercial fishing in the prioritization. See report: www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107447
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina—many criticized the failures of levees in New Orleans and surrounding areas. Read a GAO blog regarding our new report on the status of efforts to better inventory + assess the condition of levees: www.gao.gov/blog/after-h...
After Hurricane Katrina, Monitoring Levees Gets a National Approach
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, one of the most devastating storms to hit the United States—killing nearly 1,400 people and resulting in an estimated $125 billion in damage....
www.gao.gov
April 28, 2025 at 3:36 PM
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina—many criticized the failures of levees in New Orleans and surrounding areas. Read a GAO blog regarding our new report on the status of efforts to better inventory + assess the condition of levees: www.gao.gov/blog/after-h...
“Levees play a vital role in reducing flooding risks. FEMA and the Corps maintain and update critical information in the National Levee Database, such as the location and condition of levees nationwide. Learn more in our new report! www.gao.gov/products/gao...
April 24, 2025 at 8:16 PM
“Levees play a vital role in reducing flooding risks. FEMA and the Corps maintain and update critical information in the National Levee Database, such as the location and condition of levees nationwide. Learn more in our new report! www.gao.gov/products/gao...
NOAA Fisheries is using advanced technologies and AI to collect/analyze data on the red snapper to help inform their fish stock assessments in the SE U.S.—learn more about the agency’s new innovative assessment methods for this important species here: www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-stor...
The Future of Red Snapper Data: Using Active Acoustic Monitoring and Artificial Intelligence to Collect Data
NOAA Fisheries is using advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to collect and analyze red snapper and reef fish data. These technologies can identify species, abundance, and the health of o...
www.fisheries.noaa.gov
April 23, 2025 at 11:26 PM
NOAA Fisheries is using advanced technologies and AI to collect/analyze data on the red snapper to help inform their fish stock assessments in the SE U.S.—learn more about the agency’s new innovative assessment methods for this important species here: www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-stor...
#NationalParkWeek kicks off tomorrow! To celebrate,
NPS is waiving all park entrance fees on 4/19! Check out some photos taken by fellow GAO colleagues enjoying time in Shenandoah NP, Rocky Mountain NP, and the Netherlands Carillon in DC.
NPS is waiving all park entrance fees on 4/19! Check out some photos taken by fellow GAO colleagues enjoying time in Shenandoah NP, Rocky Mountain NP, and the Netherlands Carillon in DC.
April 18, 2025 at 10:29 PM
#NationalParkWeek kicks off tomorrow! To celebrate,
NPS is waiving all park entrance fees on 4/19! Check out some photos taken by fellow GAO colleagues enjoying time in Shenandoah NP, Rocky Mountain NP, and the Netherlands Carillon in DC.
NPS is waiving all park entrance fees on 4/19! Check out some photos taken by fellow GAO colleagues enjoying time in Shenandoah NP, Rocky Mountain NP, and the Netherlands Carillon in DC.
Did you know the US Army Corps of Engineers enters into agreements with water users, such as water utilities, for reservoir storage? We found that the Corps needs to improve how they communicate to users about related annual fees. See what we recommend in our new report: www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Army Corps of Engineers: Communication with Users on Water Storage Fees and Cost Estimates Could Be Improved
The Army Corps of Engineers stores water in its reservoirs for local water utilities and other municipal and industrial water users. These users pay...
www.gao.gov
April 17, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Did you know the US Army Corps of Engineers enters into agreements with water users, such as water utilities, for reservoir storage? We found that the Corps needs to improve how they communicate to users about related annual fees. See what we recommend in our new report: www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Several news outlets covered our new report on federal Hurricane Hunters, including @axios.com, @foxweather.bsky.social, and others. We found staffing and aircraft availability issues contributed to Hurricane Hunters missing mission requirements:
www.gao.gov/products/gao...
www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Hurricane Hunters increasingly falling short of mission goals: GAO
The GAO report recognizes the unique roles of the Air Force and NOAA Hurricane Hunters.
www.axios.com
April 7, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Several news outlets covered our new report on federal Hurricane Hunters, including @axios.com, @foxweather.bsky.social, and others. We found staffing and aircraft availability issues contributed to Hurricane Hunters missing mission requirements:
www.gao.gov/products/gao...
www.gao.gov/products/gao...
@federalnewsnetwork.com recently reported on the permanent pay increase for federal wildland firefighters included in last month’s CR, citing GAO’s recent work on federal firefighter recruitment and retention issues. Read our report: www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Wildland Fire: Federal Agencies Face Barriers to Recruiting and Retaining Firefighters
U.S. wildfires have grown more severe in recent years. The Department of Agriculture's Forest Service and 4 agencies within the Department of the...
www.gao.gov
April 4, 2025 at 11:44 PM
@federalnewsnetwork.com recently reported on the permanent pay increase for federal wildland firefighters included in last month’s CR, citing GAO’s recent work on federal firefighter recruitment and retention issues. Read our report: www.gao.gov/products/gao...
The National Parks Service recently updated visitation statistics w/ data from 2024, finding a record 331.9 million visits to areas managed by NPS--a 2% increase from 2023! Can you guess 2024's top 5 most visited National Parks? (Answers below!)
www.nps.gov/subjects/soc...
www.nps.gov/subjects/soc...
March 31, 2025 at 10:56 PM
The National Parks Service recently updated visitation statistics w/ data from 2024, finding a record 331.9 million visits to areas managed by NPS--a 2% increase from 2023! Can you guess 2024's top 5 most visited National Parks? (Answers below!)
www.nps.gov/subjects/soc...
www.nps.gov/subjects/soc...
Did you know that @NOAA and the @usairforce fly aircraft into hurricanes and winter storms to collect forecast data? Check out a new GAO video on our work examining federal Hurricane Hunters—read the full report with our recommendations in the reply below! www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dst9...
Hurricane Hunters: Improvements Needed in Operations, Planning, and Communication
YouTube video by U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
www.youtube.com
March 20, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Did you know that @NOAA and the @usairforce fly aircraft into hurricanes and winter storms to collect forecast data? Check out a new GAO video on our work examining federal Hurricane Hunters—read the full report with our recommendations in the reply below! www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dst9...
.@noaa.gov and the US Air Force fly Hurricane Hunter aircraft into storms to collect critical data for forecasting, but they are missing an increasing number of missions. In our new report, we examine why and recommend ways to improve. For more information, see www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Hurricane Hunter Aircraft: NOAA and Air Force Should Take Steps to Meet Growing Demand for Reconnaissance Missions
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Air Force fly Hurricane Hunter aircraft into tropical cyclones and winter storms to...
www.gao.gov
March 14, 2025 at 10:09 PM
.@noaa.gov and the US Air Force fly Hurricane Hunter aircraft into storms to collect critical data for forecasting, but they are missing an increasing number of missions. In our new report, we examine why and recommend ways to improve. For more information, see www.gao.gov/products/gao...