Many people would agree that hunting methods such as killing black bear mothers with cubs in their dens, “harvesting” grizzly bears over bait, “taking” female wolves and coyotes and their pups during denning season, are deeply offensive, particularly on public lands, like the national preserves managed by the National Park Service in Alaska. Yet, Secretary David Bernhardt’s Interior Department
Coalition Chair Is Guest on Great Battlefield Podcast
Phil Francis joins The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about his 40-year career working for our National Parks and how The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks is working to preserve our Parks and Park Service at a time when they are under attack. Listen here.
Coalition Praises Senate Movement on Great American Outdoors Act
Former National Park Service Employees Praise Senate Movement on Great American Outdoors Act, Urge Swift Passage WASHINGTON, DC — Late yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the Senate would take up the Great American Outdoors Act when it returns next month. The legislation would fully-fund the popular conservation program investing in public
Member OP-ED: The outdoors is a good getaway amid pandemic. Just not the Grand Canyon. Don’t reopen it yet
Grand Canyon National Park is an icon. It attracts visitors from all over the world who flock to the South Rim and other viewpoints within the park that offer a glimpse of the famous Canyon. As the pandemic continues to impact our lives, when social distancing is still the name of the game, reopening this
Coalition Joins Partners In Call for Wildlife Stimulus Funding
May 18, 2020 Dear Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McCarthy, The COVID-19 pandemic is a national crisis and the need to address the health and safety of communities as well as the economic futures of people across the nation is paramount. As Congress works to restart the American economy and put people back
Coalition Condemns Final NPS Alaska Hunting Rule
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5/20/20 The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks expressed outrage at the National Park Service’s decision to announce the final rule that amends its regulations to adopt the state of Alaska’s approved hunting practices, which target predator species, and include killing black bear sows with cubs at den sites; killing wolves
Coalition Rolls Out Advocacy Toolkit on Reopening Parks
The Coalition has developed a toolkit that summarizes our position on when national parks should safely reopen. We urge you to take a look and reach out to your Congressional representatives or share some of our guidance on your social media. If you need some additional information, please visit our Advocacy Guide, which provides some best practices
Member Oped: Halt oil and gas lease sales and protect Carlsbad Caverns
Rick Smith and Cherry Payne, Coalition to Protect America’s Parks Published Carlsbad Current-Argus May 14, 2020 Each year, over 450,000 people visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park to marvel at otherworldly cave formations and the flying rivers of Mexican free-tail bats departing each evening for their nightly meal. The park is recognized as a national treasure and
Member OpEd: Oil and Gas Lease Sales Should be Paused During the Pandemic Crisis
Opinion: Oil and gas lease sales should be paused during the coronavirus crisis – Sheridan Steele Special to The Colorado Sun The COVID-19 pandemic has swept through the United States and changed our daily lives. Complying with orders from city, state and national leaders, those who are able to in Colorado are staying home to
Coalition Comments on Acting Positions in DOI
– UPDATE – Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) Sues Over “Acting” Positions For National Park Service, BLM Directors Posted by National Parks Traveler Staff (NPT)- May 11th, 2020 NPT Editor’s note: This updates with reaction from the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and National Parks Conservation Association. David Vela, the de facto director of
Coalition Joins 850+ Groups in Congressional Letter Supporting Great American Outdoors Act
Support for the Great American Outdoors Act May 11, 2020 Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader Schumer, and Minority Leader McCarthy: Our organizations, and the members we represent, strongly support passage and subsequent enactment of the Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422) as quickly as possible. This bill is necessary to support the
Coalition Continues to Oppose Legislation that Benefits Eagle Crest
May 6, 2020 OPPOSE AB 2736 (E. GARCIA) As amended May 5, 2020 The above-listed organizations must OPPOSE AB 2736 as amended May 5, 2020, which paired with AB 2255 (Eggman) seeks to greenlight NextEra’s Eagle Crest project. AB 2736 will not protect the environment and will do nothing to protect California ratepayers. AB 2736
Coalition Urges Caution in Podcast Discussion on Reopening Parks
A conversation with Phil Francis, the chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, and Joan Anzelmo, a longtime spokesperson for numerous National Park Service units, about Interior Secretary David Bernhardt’s rush to reopen national parks despite warnings from career NPS staff about risks to employees and the public. Posted May 8,
Coalition Addresses Park Reopenings
During a recent Earth Day ceremony, President Donald Trump announced that his administration will “open up national parks and public lands,” and Interior Secretary Bernhardt continues to tout the reopening of some national parks. “We are also eager to get Americans back into our national parks,” says Phil Francis, Chair of the Coalition to Protect