By Kurt Repanshek – December 26th, 2021 This has been one of the most newsworthy years in recent memory for the National Park Service and the parks. There’s finally a Senate-confirmed director at the helm, billions of dollars are flowing into the parks for a variety of projects, wildfires chewed through Sequoia, Kings Canyon
Coalition Comments on America the Beautiful Progress Report
Today, the Biden Administration released their America the Beautiful progress report, which provides updates on the progress and accomplishments of meeting our first-ever national conservation goal – and ensuring all Americans have access to the outdoors – by conserving 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. Phil Francis, Chair of the Coalition to
Coalition Sends Welcome to Director Sams in the Tradition of the Lane Letter
December 17, 2021 Mr. Chuck Sams, Director National Park Service 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240 Dear Director Sams: Congratulations on your confirmation as the 19th director of the National Park Service – arguably our nation’s most popular federal agency! You join a long and honored line of directors of the National Park
Opening Brief Filed In NPS Hunting Rule Litigation
For decades, the National Park Service (Service) consistently declared that it must manage the National Park System in Alaska primarily for conservation, and that Congress’ allowance of sport hunting on National Preserves (Preserves) did not alter that conservation mandate. The Service codified that position in 2015, adopting regulations that barred predator reduction efforts as well
Coalition Joins LWCF Funds Request to Support America The Beautiful
December 2, 2021 The Honorable Deb Haaland Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240 Dear Secretary Haaland, Thank you for your strong support for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), our nation’s most important conservation and recreation program and a primary tool for executing the Biden Administration’s ambitious
Comments on Tennessee Regional Haze Plan
December 10, 2021 Michelle Owenby Director Division of Air Pollution Control Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, 15th Floor Nashville, TN 37243 Comments submitted via email to: Ai*******************@**.gov Re: Conservation Organizations Comments on the Pre-Hearing Draft Tennessee Regional Haze State Implementation Plan Dear Ms. Owensby, The National Parks
Coalition Joins Comments on Oil Mitigation Plan at Big Cypress
December 7, 2021 Superintendent Tom Forsyth Big Cypress National Preserve 33100 Tamiami Trail E Ochopee, FL 34141 Submitted via email to Th************@*ps.gov and online via National Park Service portal at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ Re: Comments on Proposal for Modification of Burnett Oil Co., Inc.’s Existing Plan of Operations (9B Permit) for the Nobles Grade 3D Seismic
Comment Period Extension Request for South Carolina’s Regional Haze State Implementation Plan
December 7, 2021 Via electronic mail Scott Bigleman Air Regulation and Data Analysis Section Bureau of Air Quality 2600 Bull Street Columbia, SC 29201 Re: Requesting Extension of Comment Period for South Carolina’s Regional Haze State Implementation Plan for the Second Implementation Period On behalf of the National Parks Conservation Association, the
Coalition Joins Comments Regarding Migratory Bird Treaty Act
BY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION Via Federal eRulemaking Portal www.regulations.gov Attn: FWS–HQ–MB–2021-0105 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service MS: PRB/3W 5275 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 Re: Docket No. FWS–HQ–MB–2021-0105; Migratory Bird Permits; Authorizing the Incidental Take of Migratory Birds Please accept the following comments submitted by the Southern Environmental Law Center (“SELC”) on behalf of
Member Oped: NPS Director Sams is Right For the Job
NPS nominee Sams is right for the job Dec 5, 2021 By SARAH BRANSOM Our national parks are in jeopardy. These incredible spaces are threatened by the impacts of climate change, which are causing rising tides and hotter fires and endangering species. We are facing dramatic losses of wild lands and waterways, which
Comments on Proposed Rescission of Regulations for Listing Endangered and Threatened Species and Designating Critical Habitat
Revised November 29, 2021 November 23, 2021 Bridget Fahey Chief, Division of Conservation and Classification U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 5275 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA 22041 Br***********@*ws.gov Angela Somma Chief, Office of Protected Resources National Marine Fisheries Service 1315 East-West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 An**********@**aa.gov Re: Comments on Proposed Rescission of
Coalition Comments on Oil and Gas Leasing Report
Release Date: 11/30/21 Contact: Emily Thompson; Em************@********ps.org Coalition Comments on Oil and Gas Leasing Report Late last week, The Department of the Interior (DOI) released its report on the Federal Oil and Gas Leasing Program, following a review of onshore and offshore oil and gas programs. The report identifies significant reforms that should be made to
Coalition Joins Comments On Threat To Minidoka National Historic Site
November 24, 2021 Commissioners California Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102 Submitted via email to: ES***********@*****ca.gov Attention: Monica Palmeira, Analyst – Environmental & Social Justice Action Plan Dear Commissioners: On behalf of Japanese American, Asian American Pacific Islander and partner organizations, we write to express our support for
Comments on Proposed revisions of 40 CFR Sections 1502, 1507, and 1508
November 19, 2021 Council on Environmental Quality 730 Jackson Place Washington, D.C. 20503 Subject: Proposed revisions of 40 CFR Sections 1502, 1507, and 1508 Dear Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ): I am writing to you on behalf of over 2,000 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), a non-profit organization
Member Oped: Sams the Right Man for Our National Parks
Guest Opinion: Sams the right man for our National Parks Jim Hammett The National Park Service has a morale problem. The agency has been underfunded for decades and the previous administration politicized the mission of the NPS, turning employees into political pawns in the process. Now, the NPS is dealing with record-breaking crowds
Coalition Celebrates Confirmation of Mr. Charles Sams as 19th Director of NPS
Release Date: November 19, 2021 Media Contact: Emily Thompson Em************@********ps.org 202-758-3936 Coalition Celebrates Confirmation of Mr. Charles Sams as 19th Director of NPS The Senate has confirmed Charles Sams III to lead the National Park Service, making him the first Senate-confirmed director of the agency since the Obama administration. The Coalition to Protect America’s
Member Op-Ed: Senate should OK Sams to lead National Park Service
BY CHERRY PAYNE / RETIRED NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SUPERINTENDENT, SANTA FE RESIDENT Thursday, November 18, 2021 The National Park Service (NPS) has been without a Senate-confirmed director for over four years. In the long history of the agency, this has never happened. And this lack of steady leadership has contributed to a number
Coalition Signs on Letter Urging Administration to Overhaul Federal Fossil Fuel Program
November 15, 2021 President Joseph R. Biden The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Biden, You have promised the most ambitious climate agenda of any U.S. administration. During the first nine months of your administration, you have taken many essential actions to deliver on those promises. We applaud your leadership
Comments On Indiana’s Proposed Regional Haze State Implementation Plan
Ms. Jean Boling Indiana Department of Environmental Management Office of Air Quality, Room 1003 100 North Senate Avenue Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 November 15, 2021 RE: Sierra Club, National Parks Conservation Association, The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, Just Transition Northwest Indiana, Hoosier Environmental Council, Izaak Walton League, and Save the Dunes Comments
Coalition Applauds Plan to Protect Chaco Culture National Historical Park From Oil and Gas Drilling
Release Date: November 15, 2021 Media Contact: Emily Thompson; Em************@********ps.org Coalition Applauds Plan to Protect Chaco Culture National Historical Park From Oil and Gas Drilling Today, the Biden Administration announced that the Department of the Interior will initiate consideration of a 20-year withdrawal of federal lands within a 10-mile radius around Chaco Culture National
Coalition Signs on in Support of Extending Comment Periods for Oil and Gas Leasing Proposals
November 10, 2021 Tracy Stone-Manning Director, Bureau of Land Management 1849 C St., NW, Rm. 5665 Washington, D.C. 20240 Re: Request for Extension of Comment Periods on BLM Oil & Gas Leasing Proposals Dear Director Stone-Manning: Congratulations on your recent confirmation as Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). We look forward to engaging
Coalition Joins Partners in Request to DOI to Remove Land Acquisition Provisions from IRB Charter
November 5, 2021 The Honorable Deb Haaland Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240 Dear Secretary Haaland, We, the undersigned organizations, are enthusiastic supporters of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the important work it does to bolster the Administration’s America the Beautiful agenda. We commend your
Coalition Joins Letter Regarding Transmission Line Project Over James River
November 12, 2021 RE: NAO-2012-00080 Surry-Skiffes Creek-Whealton Proposal Dear Mr. Nelson and Mr. Meade: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) plans to issue a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed Surry-Skiffes Creek-Whealton 500kV transmission line across the James River in Virginia, notwithstanding numerous unresolved objections. According to the permitting dashboard
Coalition Signs on in Support of Wildlife Overpasses
November 11, 2021 The Honorable Gavin Newsom Governor, State of California 1303 10th Street, Suite 1173 Sacramento, CA 9581 Re: Directing Caltrans to Add Necessary Wildlife Overpasses to Brightline West High-Speed Rail Project Governor Newsom: We write to request that your administration ensures that the proposed Brightline West High-Speed Rail Project (“Project”) includes three
Comments on Air Tour Management Plans for Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore, and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
November 10, 2021 Subject: Comments on Air Tour Management Plans for Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore, and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Dear Superintendents Joss, Kenkel, and Brouillette: I am writing on behalf of over 2,000 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National