The lease for the Geological Survey’s water science center in Norcross, Georgia was set to be terminated by the Department of the Interior. Thanks to the efforts of Senators Jon Ossoff (D) and Raphael Warnock (D), the center will remain open.
The lease was supposed to be terminated as part of a DOGE initiative. DOGE raised concerns over the future of water research and monitoring in Georgia. Closing the center would save $1.3 million.
The two Senators wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, about the matter. After not receiving a response, Ossoff pressed Burgum on the issue during a congressional hearing.
Ossoff claimed that there was no justification for closing the office, and the public was significantly concerned about it. He asked Burgum if the Interior had decided to leave the office open.
Burgum went on to explain how not all of the Interior’s real estate was being used. Most employees work remotely, so there is no reason for the Department to continue paying hundreds of millions of dollars in real estate bills.
Due to this, Burgum stated that it was reasonable to consider terminating the lease of offices not being used. Ossoff, however, failed to engage with this explanation and reiterated his desire for the office to remain open.
Burgum assured Ossoff that he would look into the matter and have his team communicate with Ossoff. In a letter from the Assistant Secretary, Tyler Hassen, Ossoff was notified that the termination of the center’s lease had been rescinded.
Ossoff celebrated on X, “Now, the Trump Administration has backed off and the office will remain open, which is vital to protect Georgians' water quality.”
Sen. Warnock also celebrated on X. He stated, “Some good news. DOGE tried to shut down the water quality office in Norcross. (Sen. Ossoff) and I successfully stopped them.”
