KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette The Government Services Administration in collaboration with the “Department of Government Efficiency” is terminating a lease for office space in the Hepburn Plaza, above, used by the U.S. Geological Survey.

A list of cost saving measures announced by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), includes the local office of the United States Geological Survey’s Pennsylvania Water Science Center, located in Hepburn Plaza.

The DOGE website lists the property at 439 Hepburn St., as 4,839 square feet. The annual lease for the site is $67,391. DOGE is citing a savings of $140,398 which is the result of the lease being terminated, not from the office being closed.

The property is owned by the Liberty Group, which did not respond to an inquiry about the length of the lease, which factors into the savings which DOGE is claiming will be realized.

An email response from a spokesperson for the GSA (United States Government Services Administration) stated, “Acting Administrator (Stephen) Ehikian’s vision for GSA includes reducing our deferred maintenance liabilities, supporting the return to office of federal employees, and taking advantage of a stronger private/government partnership in managing the workforce of the future.”

“GSA is reviewing all options to optimize our footprint and building utilization. A component of our space consolidation plan will be the termination of many soft term leases. To the extent these terminations affect public facing facilities and/or existing tenants, we are working with our agency partners to secure suitable alternative space. In many cases this will allow us to increase space utilization and obtain improved terms,” the spokesperson continued.

Although the GSA stated that they do not comment on “internal personnel matters,” an online search said that there are around 75 people working at the local office.

The Williamsport office of the geological survey is not the only one in the state with leases being terminated by DOGE. There are a total of four such offices – the one here and ones in Downington, New Cumberland and Pittsburgh. Only the Pittsburgh office – at least so far – has not had their lease terminated.

DOGE’s website lists a total of 748 leases being terminated at various government offices equaling a total of 9,587,384 square feet. The savings for those terminations is quoted at $468 million. Again, this is for lease terminations, which implies money that has not been spent. There is no indication from the DOGE website that the offices are being closed, just relocated to another site.

The U.S. Geological Survey provides “science about the natural hazards that threaten lives and livelihoods, the water, energy, minerals, and other natural resources we rely on, the health of our ecosystems and environment, and the impacts of climate and land-use change. Our scientists develop new methods and tools to enable timely, relevant, and useful information about the Earth and its processes,” according to information on their website.

One report issued by the agency last year concerns Grafius Run, a stream that periodically floods the Vallamont area. The U.S. Geological Survey is also responsible for continuously monitoring water levels in the Susquehanna River and posting them online 24/7.

It operates as a science bureau within the United States Department of the Interior. Checking the water quality of streams, rivers, and lakes is one of the main responsibilities of the U.S. Geological Survey listed.