SALEM, Ore. — Oregon's governor expressed frustration with federal authorities' handling of the continuing occupation of a national wildlife refuge in southeastern Oregon by an armed group and said it's time to end it.

“The residents of Harney County have been overlooked and underserved by federal officials' response thus far. I have conveyed these very grave concerns directly to our leaders at the highest levels of our government: the U.S. Department of Justice and the White House,” Gov. Kate Brown said at Wednesday news conference.

Exasperated by a tense situation that has caused fear among local residents since it began Jan. 2, Brown said federal officials “must move quickly to end the occupation and hold all of the wrongdoers accountable.”

She said the occupation has cost Oregon taxpayers nearly half a million dollars. Brown spokeswoman Melissa Navas said in an e-mail that number is coming from labor costs for an additional law enforcement presence in the area, including overtime, travel reimbursement, lodging and meals for officers.

“We'll be asking federal officials to reimburse the state for these costs,” Brown said.

Federal authorities did not return calls seeking comment.

Brown had scheduled the news conference to discuss her agenda for the upcoming legislative session, but made it a point to deliver strong words about the occupation by Ammon Bundy and his armed group of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Federal, state and local law enforcement officers have been sent to the remote area but so far have avoided doing anything that might provoke a confrontation. One occupier was arrested for unauthorized use of a vehicle after driving a vehicle owned by the refuge into Burns, and a Montana man who was stopped by Oregon State Police last week for a lighting violation was arrested on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm.