Coalition Statement on the House Natural Resources Committee’s Passage of Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act
Release Date: June 27, 2019
Statement of Phil Francis, Chair of The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks:
“We are pleased that Congress is taking another step toward addressing the growing maintenance backlog that is crippling our national parks and public lands. Legislation to address the $12 billion national parks maintenance backlog is critical to the continued protection and preservation of our treasured natural and cultural resources.
The National Park Service needs a dedicated source of funding with a reliable revenue stream that is available from year to year, in addition to current annual appropriations, to address this backlog. And annual appropriations must be at an adequate level to ensure the best possible visitor experience and the continued protection of our irreplaceable resources.
We are encouraged by the support shown for national parks and public lands yesterday and we hope our Congressional leaders continue to recognize the importance of protecting and preserving our irreplaceable resources.”
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The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks is a reliable, respected, and effective advocate for the achievement of the mission and goals of the National Park Service. Recognized as the Voices of Experience, CPANP studies, educates, speaks, and acts for the preservation and protection of the National Park System, and mission-related programs of the National Park Service. CPANP represents over 1,700 current, former, and retired employees and volunteers of the National Park Service, with over 40,000 collective years of stewardship of America’s most precious natural and cultural resources.