Staff Cuts Force EIA to Delay Uranium and Outlook Reports

Deep staffing reductions across US federal agencies are beginning to disrupt the flow of critical government data. The Energy Information Administration, which has lost more than 100 employees—roughly 30% of its workforce—since President Donald Trump began his second term, said it will delay publication of several high-profile studies and may cancel at least one survey outright. An annual Uranium Marketing Report that has appeared each June since 1996 is now scheduled for release in September. The agency’s International Energy Outlook, normally published each October, is unlikely to appear before January. In the Federal Register, the EIA has also proposed ending its survey of photovoltaic module shipments, saying the reporting burden now outweighs the value of the data. Oil companies, utilities, traders and regulators rely on EIA statistics to gauge supplies and set investment strategies, and the delays underline growing concern about the government’s ability to provide timely market intelligence. Earlier this year, the agency postponed its biofuels capacity report after similar staffing-related problems. Other federal offices are encountering comparable strains. The US Fish and Wildlife Service eliminated about 420 positions in March, a move environmental lawyers and developers say will exacerbate backlogs for Endangered Species Act reviews and increase litigation costs. Collectively, the cuts highlight the broader impact of the administration’s drive to shrink the federal workforce on industries that depend on timely, authoritative government information.