The Federal Government is terminating leases for at least 16 federal offices in Wisconsin, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs

The Department of Government Efficiency is terminating leases for at least 16 federal offices in Wisconsin, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Ashland.

By Danielle Kaeding – March 4, 2025

The Ashland office employs more than 40 full-time workers, according to a company fact sheet. Tanenbaum’s subsidiary RTD Ashland-BIA, LLC leased the building to the federal government for nearly $645,000 a year, according to data from the GSA website. DOGE claims terminating the lease will save $1.5 million. The office was under a 10-year lease that was set to expire in January 2028.

Tehassi Hill, chair of the Oneida Nation, said it’s an important office to tribes in Wisconsin. He said they work with the Bureau of Indian Affairs on real estate transactions, reporting mortgages and the process of converting individually owned properties into lands that are held in trust for tribes by the federal government. He said it’s unclear what would happen to the office’s employees, which would have the most significant impact on tribes.

To learn more about this developing story, click here to view the entire article on Wisconsin Public Radio’s news website.