All 1,200 scientists and staff at the U.S. Geological Survey’s biological research arm are on edge this week as they wait to learn whether they’ll still have jobs come Monday. For weeks, the biologists who work in the division, known as the Ecosystems Mission Area, have watched two parallel threats unfold. Most immediate is the expected firing of most division staff as soon as next week. … The second threat is even more serious: If the White House has its way, its proposed 2026 budget would eliminate the Ecosystems Mission Area, or EMA, altogether. … The elimination of EMA would have profound consequences. … It would erase bipartisan and widely respected programs that, for example, monitor waterfowl populations for game agencies, track contamination in drinking water, convene time- and cost-saving collaborations between agencies, universities and nonprofits, and foster the next generation of fish and wildlife professionals. … EMA scientists also monitor toxic chemicals in water, and are one of the only groups looking in private wells. 

Other USGS news:

• U.S. Geological Survey: Blog: Landsat at work: conserving water and growing high quality grapes​