San Juan County is experiencing the effects of the federal administration’s sweeping changes, both directly through funding freezes and indirectly with the rising uncertainty of ever-changing information and requirements.

President Donald Trump has signed more than 120 executive orders since taking office in January, implementing significant federal adjustments in rapid succession. These changes aren’t just fodder for headlines or social media posts — they are impacting the real lives of San Juan County residents.

The County

San Juan County Manager Jessica Hudson addressed the County Council on Feb. 25, armed with information about how federal funding freezes and cuts could potentially impact the islands.

“I asked all of our departments and elected officials if they had information about potential implications of future funding freezes at the federal level,” she said. “We don’t know what’s going to come, but we have to do what we can to be informed and aware and ready.”

The most notable departments in the Council’s discussion were emergency services, health and community services, and environmental stewardship – all of which rely heavily on state and federal funding.

Hudson acknowledged during her presentation that while the amount of federal funding for the County may seem minor to those unfamiliar with local government, the impact on the community would be significant.

“It seems almost like budget dust, and I’m sure it is at a federal level,” she said. “But those are dollars we do not have locally and that we have not had to expend. So, if that money is not there, the funding would need to be pulled from elsewhere or would not be funded at all.”

The only alternative for additional funding to the County would be via property tax increases – something that Hudson thinks shouldn’t be taken lightly.

“People love living here in the islands,” she said in an interview. “There’s a wonderful high value in living here, but it costs a lot of money to live here. I think our Council would have to think really strongly about if there is value in that balance between incoming revenue and the burden on taxpayers.”

Although she is realistic about potential issues and doing what she can to prepare the Council and other departments within San Juan County for funding cuts, Hudson emphasized in an interview that panicking isn’t necessary, as most issues and their impacts are still hypothetical.

“There are many signals coming out of the federal administration about where their priorities lie, but they’ve also taken actions that they’ve subsequently had to walk back,” she said, describing the back-and-forth nature of the last few months. “So the position the County has taken so far is: we are going to do everything that we can to be informed and prepared, but we’re not going to borrow trouble. I appreciate that many individuals are very concerned about what might be coming next, which is why we’re trying to do everything we can to be thoughtful and knowledgeable so that we don’t have to make snap judgments and decisions.”

Conversations about the County’s funding situation inevitably lead to discussions about the state budget.

The state budget for 2025-2027 was barely finalized by the end of the legislative session on April 27. Legislators had to resolve a $16 billion deficit. Their initial proposal was to introduce a “wealth tax” rather than cut programs. Gov. Bob Ferguson rejected that plan, saying now is not the time for untested taxes that will end up in federal court.

Ultimately, an operating budget of $77.8 billion was approved, with program cuts and tax increases.

“We’ve worked diligently to write a budget that addresses the fiscal challenges that we have, and continues to fund the core services that the people of Washington expect us to fund, and they depend on,” said Sen. June Robinson, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, told the Washington State Standard.

Research and conservation

The islands serve as a natural hub for science, conservation and stewardship. The University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Marine Labs and The Whale Museum are just two of the many local organizations that rely on federal funding for their research and operations, and there are scientists within County government as well. As things get more charged, public servants are less inclined to go on the record.

“It’s tough,” one County official said anonymously. “It’s tough to see an institution like NOAA under attack. It’s tough to see your colleagues and their work being devalued. I think, as a scientist, that’s one of the things I find hardest. I’m bringing my kids up in a world that no longer values this kind of expertise, dedication and public service.”

This person was hesitant to speak openly because other scientists had been outspoken online or in their work and faced repercussions, including being denied entry at the border. They’re not alone in their concerns.

On March 31, the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine issued an open letter warning about a “climate of fear that has descended upon the research community.”

“I think one of the biggest things when I think about trying to strip funding or safety from science and terminating probationary employees from science agencies is we are going to lose a whole generation of scientists,” the local public servant said. “The best and the brightest. It’s going to have ripple effects far into the future that we probably can’t comprehend right now.”

The Whale Museum’s new executive director is no stranger to federal politics. Dr. Mike Kuperberg will join the island full-time this year after spending the last 20 years working at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research. He is joining the museum’s conservation efforts at a pivotal time.

“Our programs, including Soundwatch and Be Whale Wise, efforts critical to the SRKW recovery plan, are fully funded through federal and state grants,” Kuperberg told the Journal. “We are not yet aware of any impact to our funding, though there is significant uncertainty across many of our programs. This uncertainty makes it challenging to plan ahead, maintain staff and invest in the future of the museum as a whole.”

Kuperberg’s comments about uncertainty were echoed by Friday Harbor Labs Director Dr. Megan Dethier when asked about the impacts of the current federal administration on the University of Washington’s renowned Friday Harbor facility.

“It’s very mentally disruptive when people don’t know about their jobs and their funding,” she said. “It generates an overall climate of anxiety. We are getting emails daily – often multiple times — from various federal entities, from the university.”

Dethier has been advised to avoid certain words when writing grant proposals, such as “diversity,” “women” and “climate change.” She’s worried about federal funding but grateful for the private funding available at the labs.

Kuperberg acknowledged the many organizations that are in the same boat right now and feels hopeful that working together can help them all overcome the funding obstacles.

Food bank

Orcas Island Food Bank Director Amanda Sparks was worried about funding even before the executive orders began to be issued. COVID grants are set to expire this year, and she has been trying to determine how to sustain the programs and relationships she has worked hard to establish. Even without executive orders specifically targeting food banks, Sparks says they are still seeing the consequences of federal cuts.

“For us, any time social service funding is cut, anywhere from Medicaid/Medicare to social security, to SNAP benefits to low-income housing benefits or any of that – it drives people closer to needing a food bank,” she explained. “Any decrease in services is taking money right out of somebody’s food budget. Sometimes people don’t think about it, but food banks are directly impacted no matter what the landscape is doing. It doesn’t have to be a food access program.”

She feels more hope than fear, though. She knows that the community understands the importance of the food bank’s work and is confident that a solution will be found.

“We’ve proven there’s a need and that food banks are a benefit to strengthening the community and keeping the workforce here in the islands,” Sparks said. “Now the community gets to decide: what does the future look like? Do we want to lean in and strengthen our workforce and keep the islands thriving and our economy moving?”

She thinks the community will rise to the occasion. While things may be scary on a broader level, she is certain that the answer lies in leaning into what we can do.

“We don’t have control over the federal stuff,” Sparks acknowledged, “but we always have control over what happens locally.”