Trump’s Cuts Pose Risks, Including Volcanic Threats

Monitoring Alaska’s Volcanic Activity at Risk Amid Government Cutbacks

As alarming signs of volcanic activity have emerged from Mount Spurr, a prominent volcano located northwest of Anchorage, Alaska’s volcano monitoring agency has escalated its alert level. This proactive measure aims to provide local communities and aircraft with timely warnings in anticipation of a possible eruption. However, the operational effectiveness of this monitoring has come under serious threat due to recent cost-cutting measures implemented by the Trump administration.

According to insiders at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Alaska Volcano Observatory, the agency’s credit cards—crucial for covering travel expenses and other operational costs—have been frozen. This significant development, shared by sources who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the situation, indicates that employees may face substantial challenges in maintaining proper observatory functions. Among the most vital expenditures affected are those related to telecommunications services that are essential for transmitting real-time data from various volcano monitoring systems.

The inability to fund travel can have severe repercussions for the observatory’s team, who must often venture into remote and rugged landscapes to repair and maintain critical monitoring equipment. Many of these instruments are exposed to harsh environmental conditions, including storms and frigid winters, putting them at risk of malfunction or damage.

Jeff Freymueller, a geophysics professor at Michigan State University and former coordinating scientist for the Alaska Volcano Observatory, expressed grave concerns about the potential fallout from losing access to volcano monitoring data. "A complete disaster" is how he described the consequences of an interruption in data flow. With thousands of passengers and substantial cargo traversing the Aleutian Islands daily—home to the majority of Alaska’s volcanoes—Freymueller emphasized the dire implications of an unmonitored volcanic event. “We have seen what occurs when an aircraft encounters an ash cloud. It can lead to catastrophic incidents. We cannot afford to experience that again,” he warned.

The USGS, under the auspices of the Interior Department, has yet to provide a formal response to inquiries about these new developments. Recently, the Trump administration has enacted swift measures aimed at budget reductions across federal agencies, raising concerns about the implications for critical scientific operations. An executive order signed by President Trump has purportedly expanded the authority of the Department of Government Efficiency—overseen by entrepreneur Elon Musk—to closely scrutinize government spending and employee expenditures. This order seemingly established a 30-day freeze on government-issued credit cards, with exceptions made only for disaster relief efforts and other essential services.

Unfortunately, the credit cards used by personnel at the Alaska Volcano Observatory appear not to have received any exemptions. Due to the current restrictions, the timeline regarding any potential interruption of telecommunications services remains uncertain.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory operates as a collaborative effort involving the USGS, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys. As of now, the observatory continues to monitor Mount Spurr for signs of imminent eruption, with reports of small, shallow earthquakes and observable steam emissions from the volcano’s peak raising alarms.

To make matters more pressing, another nearby volcano—Great Sitkin Volcano—is already under a heightened alert status. Located in the Aleutian chain, Great Sitkin has been experiencing slow lava eruptions from its summit crater since 2021, further necessitating ongoing monitoring of the region’s volcanic activity.

As scientists and officials grapple with the ramifications of budget cuts, the potential for compromised public safety looms large. If critical monitoring capabilities are not sustained, the consequences could extend beyond local geological dangers, impacting aviation safety and emergency preparedness across a vast region.

While the current alert level for Mount Spurr remains active, the future of effective monitoring hangs in the balance, urging immediate attention from federal authorities. Disruptions to vital data transmission and field operations carry tremendous risks. The fate of Alaska’s volcano observatory—and the safety of thousands of people traveling over these volcanic terrains—depends on how these challenges are addressed in the face of budget constraints. The scientific community and the public alike look on with bated breath as the situation develops.