A forested area of the Uintas on June 16, 2025. Photo: Marina Knight // TownLift

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A coalition of labor unions, environmental organizations, local governments, and public interest groups has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block the Trump administration’s sweeping reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service, including plans to relocate the agency’s headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City.

The lawsuit, filed last week in federal court, argues the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s restructuring violates federal law because the agency failed to follow required procedures, including consulting Congress and conducting appropriate analyses before announcing the overhaul.

The challenge comes just over three months after Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the Forest Service would move its headquarters to Salt Lake City as part of a broad reorganization intended to place agency leadership “closer to the landscapes we manage and the people who depend on them.”

What the reorganization would do

The March announcement outlined one of the most significant restructurings in the Forest Service’s 120-year history.

The plan would move the agency’s national headquarters to Salt Lake City and consolidate regional offices into six “hubs.” The move would close numerous research facilities across the country and leadership positions would be shifted closer to western public lands.

USDA officials said the move would improve efficiency, reduce administrative duplication, and position decision-makers closer to forests and communities they serve.

The department has not announced a timeline for when the headquarters would officially move to Utah.

Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz previously described Salt Lake City as a natural fit because of its central location in the West and proximity to many national forests.

Plaintiffs say changes are unlawful

The lawsuit was brought by a coalition that includes labor unions representing federal employees, conservation organizations, civic groups, and local governments.

According to the complaint, the plaintiffs contend the administration cannot implement such a significant agency restructuring without following procedures established by Congress. They argue the changes would substantially affect public land management, scientific research, and wildfire preparedness while bypassing required legal review.

The lawsuit asks the court to halt implementation of the reorganization until the administration complies with applicable federal laws.

Critics say the restructuring follows months of workforce reductions that have already strained the agency.

Conservation groups and employee representatives argue that eliminating offices, relocating employees, and reducing research capacity could weaken the Forest Service’s ability to manage wildfire risk and oversee public lands, particularly as wildfire seasons continue to intensify across the West.

The administration has disputed those concerns, saying the changes are intended to streamline operations and improve forest management by reducing bureaucracy and placing leadership closer to the agency’s primary areas of responsibility.

What’s next

The lawsuit seeks an injunction preventing USDA from moving forward with the reorganization while the case proceeds.

Unless a court intervenes, USDA has indicated it intends to continue implementing the restructuring, though no official date has been announced for relocating the Forest Service headquarters to Salt Lake City.