Year: 2024

Comments submitted to: National Park Service – PEPC – Environmental Assessment October 29, 2024 Superintendent Eric Brunnemann Padre Island National Seashore PO Box 181300 Corpus Christi, TX 78480 Subject: Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS) Draft Feral Exotic Invasive Species Management Plan and Environmental Assessment Comments Dear Superintendent Brunnemann: I am writing on behalf of the

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY AUDUBON ROCKIES * COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * FRIENDS OF THE EARTH * NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY * ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD * WYOMING OUTDOOR COUNCIL October 28, 2024 SUBMITTED VIA E-PLANNING Andrew Archuleta State Director Wyoming Bureau of Land Management 5353 Yellowstone Road Cheyenne, WY 82009 Project Contacts: Lindsay Abercrombie la**********@bl*.gov

  Comments submitted to: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=137987 October 16, 2024 Melissa Trenchik Superintendent Cumberland Island National Seashore 101 Wheeler St. St. Mary’s, Georgia 31558 Subject: Cumberland Island National Seashore Land Exchange Dear Superintendent Trenchik: I am writing on behalf of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), which represents over 2,800 current, former, and retired employees

October 10, 2024 Submitted to EPA Docket No. EPA-R04-OAR-2023-0220-0001 via regulations.gov: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-R05-OAR-2021-0544-0141 Subject: Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed approval of Ohio’s Regional Haze State Implementation Plan Dear Regional Administrator Shore and Ms. Liu, I am writing on behalf of more than 2,800 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), who collectively represent

For Immediate Release October 4, 2024 Contact: Elena Schlossberg Coalition to Protect PW County el*********@ho*****.com   LEADING CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS FILE AMICUS BRIEF IN OPPOSITION TO WORLD’S LARGEST DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT Groups say Prince William Digital Gateway will cause irreparable harm to Manassas Battlefield and other historic, natural and cultural resources (Manassas, Virginia) —On October 3,

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 30, 2024 Contact: Chandra Rosenthal, PEER, (303) 898-0798, cr********@pe**.org Kevin Emmerich, Basin and Range Watch, (775) 764-1080, at**************@gm***.com Laura Cunningham, Western Watersheds Project, (775) 513-1280, lc*********@we***************.org Conservationists File Protest Against Plan for Massive Solar Development on Public Lands, Citing Neglect of the Old Spanish National Historic Trail WASHINGTON, DC – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

Submitted to https://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=138824 ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW September 27, 2024 Cicely Muldoon Superintendent Yosemite National Park P.O Box 577 Yosemite, CA 95389  Subject:  Yosemite National Park Visitor Access Management Draft Plan (VAMP)  Dear Superintendent Muldoon: I am writing on behalf of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), which represents

September 16, 2024 Vice President Kamala Harris The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Vice President Harris: We appreciate your acknowledgement that the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II is an “act that we cannot forget … it is only by understanding our past that we build a better

  September 20, 2024 Rodney Parker Jr., ACHP BLM Liaison Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 401 F Street NW, Suite 308 Washington, DC 20001 Subject:  Termination of Section 106 Consultation on the Lava Ridge Wind Project Dear Mr. Parker: I am writing on behalf of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), which represents

7 Directions of Service * Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine Center for Biological Diversity * CleanAIRE NC Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks * Dogwood Alliance Forest Keeper * Friends of Big Ivy * I Heart Pisgah * MountainTrue National Parks Conservation Association * North Carolina Black Alliance Toxic Free North Carolina September 19, 2024 Dear

Comments Submitted via regulations.gov: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-R08-OAR-2024-0389-0001 September 18, 2024 Clayton Bean Air and Radiation Division EPA Region 8 1595 Wynkoop Street Denver, Colorado 80202-1129 Subject: Comments on EPA’s proposed response to Utah’s Regional Haze State Implementation Plan. Dear Mr. Bean and Regional Administrator Becker: We are writing on behalf of more than 2,800 members of the

Coalition Chair Phil Francis spoke with Inside Philanthropy following the Lilly Endowment’s $100 million gift to the National Park Foundation about why fundraising success can also belie a deeper funding gap. Read more at this link.

ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW September 4, 2024 The Honorable Charles F. Sams, III Director National Park Service 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240 Subject:  Grand Teton National Park, Moose-Wilson Road-NEPA Reversal of Bicycle Use Dear Director Sams:  I write on behalf of more than 2,800 members of the Coalition to

September 6, 2024 Samantha Murray President Marine Resources Committee California Fish and Game Commission 715 P Street 16th Floor Sacramento, CA 95814 Subject: Market Squid Fishing within Channel Islands National Park and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Dear Ms. Murray: It has recently come to our attention that conservation community members appointed to the Squid

Release Date: September 4, 2024 Media Contact: Emily Thompson 202-758-3936 Coalition Applauds Congressional Support for Sáttítla National Monument Last week, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla sent a letter – co-signed by Senator Laphonza Butler and Representative Adam Schiff – to President Joe Biden, calling for the President to use the Antiquities Act to designate Sáttítla National

  Comments Submitted Via submitted via regulations.gov: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-R08-OAR-2023-0489-0001 September 3, 2024 Jaslyn Dobrahner Air and Radiation Division EPA Region 8 Mailcode 8ARD-IO 1595 Wynkoop Street Denver, CO 80202-1129 Subject: Comments on EPA Region 8’s proposed response to Wyoming’s Regional Haze Plan. Dear Ms. Dobrahner and Regional Administrator Becker: I am writing on behalf of more

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * FRIENDS OF THE EARTH * NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION * ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD August 29, 2024 SUBMITTED VIA E-PLANNING Melanie Barnes State Director Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico (505) 954-2222 Project Contact: Catherine Brewster cb*******@bl*.gov (505) 954-2170 Re: Comments on the New Mexico Bureau

August 28, 2024 President Joe Biden The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Biden, The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks supports the Pit River Nation’s effort to permanently protect sacred and traditional cultural lands, Sáttítla, in the Medicine Lake Highlands of Northern California by designating the area as a

    Unauthorized Drones Are Making Wildfires More Destructive An alarming trend, and confusing regulations, hamper firefighting efforts across the country By Molly McCluskey August 27, 2024 In 2022, a wildfire tore across 18 acres of Mt. Helena in northwestern Montana. As crews raced to tame it, an unauthorized drone flew into the area, bringing their

Protecting California’s Hidden Treasures: Sáttítla, Kw’tsán, and Chuckwalla California isn’t just home to the iconic Hollywood sign and bustling city streets—you can also find truly incredible natural landscapes and deeply important cultural sites. Enter Chuckwalla, Sáttítla, and Kw’tsán—three stunning areas in need of additional protections through national monument designations. Let’s explore these treasures and see

Release Date: 8/16/24 Media Contact: Emily Thompson, Em************@pr********.org, 202-758-3936 The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Celebrates the Designation of the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument Today, President Biden used his authority under the Antiquities Act to designate the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument. Following the announcement, Phil Francis, Chair of the Executive

August 13, 2024 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Biden: I am writing to you today on behalf of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks – an organization that studies, educates, speaks, and acts for the preservation of America’s National Park System

Park Advocates: Time To Build Momentum For GAOA Reauthorization By Kurt Repanshek August 11, 2024 In the four years since President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law, upwards of $5 billion has been spent by the National Park Service to rebuild pothole-riddled roads, rehabilitate weary and worn-out buildings, and to repair water

August 8, 2024 Superintendent Chip Jenkins Attn: Grand Teton Visitor Use Desired Conditions Grand Teton National Park PO Drawer 170 Moose, WY 83012 Subject: Visitor Use and Experience Planning Dear Superintendent Jenkins: I write on behalf of more than 2,700 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), who collectively represent more than

    For release: July 29, 2024 Contact: Emily Thompson  Concern Over FY 2025 NPS Budget  The House of Representatives passed an FY 2025 spending bill for the Department of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies last week. This bill would cut over $200 million -more than 6% – from the budget of the National

Dear Senator: On behalf of over 340 organizations, representing millions of members and supporters, we write to express our opposition to the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 (S. 4753). This legislation guts bedrock environmental protections, endangers public health, opens up tens of millions of acres of public lands and hundreds of millions of acres

July 29, 2024 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Senator Michael Bennet 261 Russell Senate Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Senator John Hickenlooper 374 Russell Senate Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear President Biden and Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper: Nearly 120 years ago,

July 29, 2024 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. President The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear President Biden: The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks requests that you utilize your authority under the Antiquities Act to designate a national monument commemorating the life and legacy of Julius Rosenwald and the

July 29, 2024 Dear Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Speaker Johnson, and Leader Jeffries: Despite widespread national and Tribal opposition to the proposed 211-mile Ambler mining road through Gates of the Arctic National Preserve, the Senate Armed Services Committee included a speculative poison pill amendment from Senator Sullivan in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that

Range of Light National Monument: Coalition Letter to President Biden Tuesday, July 23, 2024* Dear President Biden, Secretary Haaland, & Chair Mallory: Your administration set the historic goal of conserving 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030, and the Range of Light National Monument will help fulfill that incredible land legacy in a

Arizona Climate Action Coalition * Cascabel Working Group Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks * Elders Climate Action – Arizona Chapter * Friends of Ironwood Forest * Grand Canyon Trust * Moms Clean Air Force – AZ National Parks Conservation Association * Sierra Club – Grand Canyon Chapter *  Sky Island Alliance * Tucson Audubon

July 22, 2024 U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representatives: On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, the 83 undersigned groups urge you to oppose H.R. 8998, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025, when it comes up for a vote this week. This bill would

June 20, 2024 The Honorable JB Pritzker Governor, State of Illinois 207 State House Springfield, IL 62706 Dear Governor Pritzker, We write to express our concern about the threat posed by invasive carp to the environmental and economic health of Lake Michigan and the State of Illinois, as well as to the entire Great Lakes

July 8, 2024 Dear members of the House Appropriations Committee, On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, the following 65 organizations call on you to oppose the following sections, and all anti-environmental riders, of the Fiscal Year 2025 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations legislation. Sec. 139 This provision would prevent the BLM

July 8th, 2024 The Honorable Tom Cole Chairman Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Rosa DeLauro Ranking Member Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Chairman Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro and Members of the Committee, On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, we write to express our concern and opposition to the inclusion of multiple poison pill

Final Alaska Hunting and Trapping Rule is “Deeply Disappointing” The National Park Service Limits Bear Baiting but Fails to Protect Alaskan Bear Cubs and Wolf Pups WASHINGTON – New regulations announced by the National Park Service (NPS) will help protect visitor safety on national parklands in Alaska by limiting bear baiting. However, the new rule

  The Coalition joined environmental groups on numerous letters sent to the House of Representatives, urging members to oppose anti-environmental amendments and policies and/or making recommendations on those amendments and bills as they come up for vote. The letters are linked below:    https://www.lcv.org/media-center/12-environmental-groups-oppose-amendments-to-fy25-defense-appropriations-bill/   https://www.lcv.org/media-center/12-environmental-groups-oppose-amendments-to-fy25-state-and-foreign-operations-appropriations-bill/   https://www.lcv.org/media-center/environmental-groups-recommend-amendments-to-fy25-homeland-security-appropriations-bill/

Alaska Clean Water Advocacy ● Alaska Community Action on Toxics Alaska Warrier Partnership ● Alaska Wilderness League Alaska Wildlife Alliance ● Beluga Whale Alliance ● Center for Biological Diversity ● Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks ● Cook Inletkeeper ● Defend the West-Su Earthworks ● Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition National Parks Conservation Association ● Natural

The Honorable Bruce Westerman Chairman House Committee on Natural Resources Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Raul Grijalva Ranking Member House Committee on Natural Resources Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Chairman Westerman, Ranking Member Grijalva, and members of the House Committee on Natural Resources: On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, our organizations write to

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY THE COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * FRIENDS OF THE EARTH U.S. * ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD * WYOMING OUTDOOR COUNCIL June 21, 2024 SUBMITTED VIA E-PLANNING Andrew Archuleta State Director Wyoming Bureau of Land Management 5353 Yellowstone Road Cheyenne, WY 82009 Project Contacts: Allen Stegeman as*******@bl*.gov (307) 775-6259 Erik Norelius en******@bl*.gov

  June 19, 2024 Senator Alex Padilla 331 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Padilla, We applaud your efforts to better protect the Federal lands in the Mojave Desert of California. On May 15, 2024, the Senate Committee on Energy and National Resources Subcommittee on National Parks conducted hearings on your S.

National Park Service Struggling To Improve Diversity Among Superintendents By Lori Sonken Clara Wooden joined the National Park Service in Anchorage in 1990 when no one looked like her. She was the only Black woman holding a ranger position in the Alaska Regional Park Office that now supports 15 national parks, preserves, monuments, and national

Release Date: 6/18/24 Media Contact: Emily Thompson, 202-758-3936  The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Applauds Public Meeting in Support of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot National Monument Last week, Brenda Mallory, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and Shannon Estenoz, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks,

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 14, 2024 CONTACT: Emily Thompson 202-758-3936 The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Stands in Support of Designating Chuckwalla National Monument on the Heels of DOI Community Meeting INDIO, CA — At a community meeting today hosted by the Department of the Interior, attendees called on President Biden to

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * FRIENDS OF THE EARTH * NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION * ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD * THEODORE ROOSEVELT CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP   June 5, 2024 SUBMITTED VIA E-PLANNING Melanie Barnes State Director Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico (505) 954-2222 Project Contact: Catherine Brewster cb*******@bl*.gov (505) 954-2170 Re:

Executive Summary The following key points summarize the proposals made in our comment document. They are provided for ease of reference, and to provide a high-level encapsulation of plan elements that we favor and those areas where improvement is necessary to best meet the intent of the Proclamations while honoring the Inter-governmental Cooperative Agreement and

Release Date: June 10, 2024 Media Contact: Emily Thompson, Em************@pr********.org, 202-758-3936 Coalition Condemns BLM Plan to Approve Massive Wind Farm  Adjacent to Minidoka National Historic Site On June 6, 2024, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced it will approve a plan allowing a massive wind farm to be developed in close proximity to Minidoka

  Tomales Point Area Plan  c/o Superintendent Point Reyes National Seashore  1 Bear Valley Road  Point Reyes Station, CA 94956   RE: Tomales Point Area Plan Environmental Assessment – Support for Alternative B    Dear Acting Superintendent Altman:   We, the undersigned 40 environmental organizations and wildlife photographers are writing to express our strong support

  The Honorable Joseph R. Biden President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear President Biden, As retired National Park Service leaders and veterans of the United States military, we’re writing to express our enthusiastic support for your America the Beautiful initiative and commitment to protect 30%

June 5, 2024 Via electronic mail The Honorable David Rouzer, Chairman House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment ry************@ma**.gov The Honorable Grace F. Napolitano, Ranking Member House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment ry*********@ma**.gov Re: Remediation of Formerly Used Defense Site at Buxton, NC, within Cape Hatteras National Seashore Dear Chairman Rouzer and Ranking Member

ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkID=333&projectID=108690 June 4, 2024 Anne Altman Acting Superintendent 1 Bear Valley Road Point Reyes National Seashore Point Reyes Station, CA 94956 Subject: Comments on the Draft Tomales Point Area Plan/Environmental Assessment Dear Acting Superintendent Altman: I am writing on behalf of over 2,700 members of the Coalition

  Release Date: May 20th, 2024 Media Contact: Emily Thompson 202-758-3936 The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Thanks Secretary Haaland for Visit to Chuckwalla Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited California last week and met with Tribal, congressional, and local community leaders who are working to protect the area’s natural and cultural resources

  Dear Chairs Murray and Cole, Vice Chair Collins, and Ranking Member DeLauro: On behalf of our tens of millions of members and supporters across the country, we respectfully request that you significantly increase environmental funding in Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) and exclude any anti-environmental policy provisions from the annual appropriations bills. Environmental agencies and

Dr. Richard W. Spinrad Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere & National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 5128 Washington, DC 20230 May 6, 2024 Re: Group Support for Joint Position of Northern Chumash Tribal Council and Morro Bay Offshore Wind Leaseholders on Proposed

May 10, 2024 Re: Fiscal Year 2025 Funding Request for the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Service Dear Chair Murray, Vice Chair Collins, Chair Cole, and Ranking Member DeLauro, On behalf of the 52 undersigned groups, we write to request increased funding for the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Forest

  National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 274 | NPS Budgetary Blues By Jess Repanshek – May 12th, 2024 With the summer vacation season not too far off, no doubt many National Park Service Superintendents are trying to figure out how to manage the crowds and avoid impacts to natural resources in the park system. With

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY THE COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * POWDER RIVER BASIN RESOURCE COUNCIL * ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD * WYOMING OUTDOOR COUNCIL May 10, 2024 SUBMITTED VIA E-PLANNING Andrew Archuleta State Director Wyoming Bureau of Land Management 5353 Yellowstone Road Cheyenne, WY 82009 Project Contacts: Erik Norelius en******@bl*.gov (307) 775-6284 Allen Stegeman as*******@bl*.gov

Statement for the Record Philip A. Francis, Jr. Chair of the Executive Council, Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Committee on Appropriations United States House of Representatives FY 2025 Appropriations for the National Park Service, Department of the Interior May 10, 2024 Chairman Simpson, Ranking Member Pingree, and

May 1, 2024 Dear Members of Congress, We, the members of the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition urge increased funding levels in the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriation bill to address significant park understaffing and related operational and infrastructure shortfalls in parks throughout the country. The National Park Service’s

Release Date: May 2, 2024 Media Contact: Emily Thompson 202-758-3936 Coalition Celebrates Expansion of Two National Monuments Today, President Biden used his authority under the Antiquities Act to expand the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, both located in California. “We applaud President Biden’s actions to expand both the San

April 25, 2024 Dear Representatives: On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, the undersigned organizations write in strong opposition to H.R. 6285, the Alaska’s Right to Produce Act of 2023, and urge you to VOTE NO on passage. This extreme legislation would reverse several critical actions undertaken by the Biden-Harris Administration to protect

April 19, 2024 Mr. Dan Murphy Manager Division of Habitat Conservation and Restoration U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 177 Admiral Cochran Drive Annapolis, MD 21401-7307 Subject: Support for Establishment of the Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge Dear Mr. Murphy: I am writing on behalf of more than 2,500 members of the Coalition to Protect

Release Date: April 19, 2024 Media Contact: Emily Thompson, 202-758-3936 Coalition Applauds “No Action” Decision on Ambler Road Proposal Today, the Department of the Interior announced that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released its final supplemental environmental analysis for the Ambler Road project, which was proposed by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility Coalition To Protect America’s National Parks Western Watersheds Project Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and John W. Hiscock April 18, 2024 Jeremy Bluma 208-789-6014 jb****@bl*.gov Re: EIS Comments, #DOI-BLM-HQ-3000-2023-0001-RMP-EIS – Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Utility-Scale Solar Energy Development Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and John W. Hiscock submit these

Release Date: April 18, 2024 Media Contact: Emily Thompson 202-758-3936 Coalition Applauds BLM Public Lands Rule Today, the Department of the Interior announced a final rule to help guide the balanced management of America’s public lands. The final Public Lands Rule provides tools for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to help improve the health

April 16, 2024 Contact: Emily Thompson Coalition Urges Designation of Proposed Chuckwalla National Monument and Proposed Expansion of Joshua Tree National Park Today, Senator Alex Padilla and Representative Raul Ruiz sent a joint letter to President Biden urging him to use the Antiquities Act to designate the Chuckwalla National Monument and protect approximately 17,000 acres

  Release Date: April 12, 2024 Media Contact: Emily Thompson Em************@pr********.org 202-758-3936 Coalition Celebrates New Oil and Gas Rule Today, the Department of the Interior (DOI) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced a final rule to revise BLM oil and gas leasing regulations, which will help to reform the federal oil and gas leasing

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY THE COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * FRIENDS OF THE EARTH US * ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD April 10, 2024 BLM New Mexico State Office Attention: Melanie Barnes, State Director 301 Dinosaur Trail Santa Fe, NM 87508 Re:  Protest of lease parcels for the New Mexico Bureau of Land Management 2024 Second

ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW Submitted by email to: so***@bl*.gov   April 1, 2024 Jeremy Bluma, Senior Advisor National Renewable Energy Coordination Office Bureau of Land Management 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240 Subject:  Draft Utility-Scale Solar Energy Development PEIS/RMPA Dear Mr. Bluma: I am writing on behalf of more than

  March 21, 2024 Sarah Brubaker Office of Community Relations Illinois Environmental Protection Agency 1021 North Grand Ave. East, P.O. Box 19276 Springfield, IL 62794-9506 Electronic Filing via Email Sa************@il******.gov Re: Comments on Illinois’ Regional Haze State Implementation Plan for the Second Implementation Period The National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club, the Coalition to Protect

  March 20, 2024 President Joe Biden 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20500 The Honorable Ron Wyden 221 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Jeff Merkley 531 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Subject: Support for an Owyhee Canyonlands National Monument Dear President Biden, Senator Wyden, and Senator Merkley: We

    ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW   March 20, 2024   Superintendent Pedro Ramos Attn: Wilderness Stewardship Plan    Everglades National Park  40001 State Road 9336  Homestead, FL 33034    Subject:  Everglades Wilderness Stewardship Plan   Dear Superintendent Ramos:   I am writing on behalf of more than 2,500 members of the

March 19, 2024 Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and Members of the House of Representatives: On behalf of the undersigned conservation, climate, and public lands organizations, we write today in strong opposition to H.R. 6009, the Restoring American Energy Dominance Act. This legislation circumvents and undermines the administrative process, ignores significant public input across the West,

March 20, 2024 Representative Bruce Westerman, Chairman Representative Raúl Grijalva, Ranking Member House Committee on Natural Resources 1324 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Re: H.R. 5499, Congressional Oversight of the Antiquities Act Dear Chairman Westerman and Ranking Member Grijalva, On behalf of the undersigned organizations and our millions of members across the country,

March 18, 2024 William Kenny Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Lazarus Government Center P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049 Electronic Filing via Email Wi***********@ep*.gov Re: Comments on the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Supplement to the Regional Haze State Implementation Plan for the Second Implementation Period The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), Sierra Club, the Coalition to

  Funding cuts are pushing our national parks to the breaking point BY PHIL FRANCIS, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR – 03/16/24 I worked for the National Park Service for 41 years, serving at program offices, battlefield sites and larger national parks such as Shenandoah, the Great Smokies and Yosemite. I retired nearly 11 years ago and became

  President’s FY25 Budget Request For National Park Service “Disappointing” By Kurt Repanshek – March 12th, 2024 Cuts in visitor interpretation and education, not enough money for employee pay raises or to replace jobs lost by past years’ cuts, and less money for replacing worn out equipment are among the troubling areas of President Biden’s

For release: March 12, 2023 Contact: Emily Thompson, Em************@pr********.org Coalition Statement on President Biden’s FY 2025 Proposed Budget Phil Francis, Chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, issued the following statement on President Biden’s FY 2025 budget: “We were disappointed in the final budget numbers that were just passed for FY 2024, and

  March 8, 2024 Preston McLane Program Administrator Division of Air Resource Management Florida Department of Environmental Protection 2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 5500 Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400 Electronic Filing via Email to Pr************@Fl********.gov Re: Comments on Florida’s Supplemental Amendment to Previously Proposed Regional Haze Plan for the Second Implementation Period. The National Parks Conservation Association

  March 8, 2024 Ezra Thrush, Director Policy Office Department of Environmental Protection Rachel Carson State Office Building P.O. Box 2063 Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063 Re: Proposed Revision to State Implementation Plan Regional Haze Best Available Retrofit Technology Dear Mr. Thrush: The National Parks Conservation Association, Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, Sierra Club, PennFuture, Clean

  For release: March 5, 2023 Contact: Emily Thompson Coalition Concerned Over Impending NPS Budget Cuts House and Senate Appropriations Committees finally released several appropriations bills, which will need to pass the full House and Senate this week to prevent a partial government shutdown. One of the six bills passed by committees includes the Department

The National Park Service, already struggling to meet staffing and operational needs, will be saddled with a $150 million cut to its current budget if Congress approves a Senate-House compromise spending plan released by the two chambers’ appropriations committees. Additionally, the bills don’t provide any additional funds to help parks cover a 5.2 percent federal pay

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 19, 2024 Press Contact: Paul Reed, pr***@ar******************.org REPORT: Orphaned Wells and Abandoned Oil and Gas Infrastructure Pose a Significant Threat to Cultural Resources in the Southwest New Report Explores Native American Tribal Concerns with Orphaned Wells and Discusses Common-Sense Solutions Needed for Addressing the Problem for the Long Term (Tucson, AZ)

Written Testimony in support of SB983 RE: SB 983 – Lead Ammunition Phase-Out – SUPPORT February 27, 2024 The Honorable Brian J. Feldman Chair, Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee Maryland General Assembly Annapolis, MD 21401 The Honorable Cheryl C. Kagan Vice Chair, Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee Maryland General Assembly Annapolis,

  February 27, 2024 The Honorable Chris Van Hollen U.S. Senate 730 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable John Sarbanes U.S. House of Representatives 2370 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 RE: Support for the Chesapeake National Recreation Area S. 2620 and H.R. 5045 Dear Senator Van Hollen and Representative Sarbanes:

  For release: February 26, 2024 Contact: Emily Thompson, Em************@pr********.org Coalition Urges Congress to Swiftly Pass a Spending Plan that Prioritizes the Protection of Parks and Public Lands With a potential shutdown of the federal government looming on the horizon, our national parks and public lands are once again at risk. Congress has only a

The National Park Service (NPS) is conducting a Special Resource Study of the historic Dearfield settlement in Weld County, Colorado, to identify whether it meets the criteria recommended for potential inclusion as a unit of the national park system. Dearfield was established by Oliver Toussaint Jackson in 1910 and was the most prominent African American homesteading settlement

  February 23, 2024   Subject:  Support of Maryland’s HB 1473   Dear Delegate:   I am writing to you on behalf of over 2,500 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), a non-profit organization composed of retired, former, or current employees of the National Park Service (NPS). The Coalition studies, educates,

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY AUDUBON ROCKIES * COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * FRIENDS OF THE EARTH UNITED STATES * NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL * NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY * POWDER RIVER BASIN RESOURCE COUNCIL * ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD * WYOMING OUTDOOR COUNCIL February 15, 2024 SUBMITTED VIA E-PLANNING Andrew Archuleta State Director Wyoming Bureau of

  February 14, 2024 Tracy Stakely Superintendent Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park 1214 Middle Street Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 Subject: Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie Dock Replacement Environmental Assessment Dear Superintendent Stakely: I am writing on behalf of more than 2,500 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), who

  The Honorable Charles Sams Director National Park Service 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 2024 February 12, 2024 Dear Director Sams, I am writing on behalf of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), an organization made up of more than 2,500 former, retired, and current National Park Service (NPS) employees and volunteers.

  February 12, 2024 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 The Honorable Debra Haaland Secretary of the Interior U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington D.C. 20240 The Honorable Brenda Mallory Chair of the Council on Environmental

Great American investments: National park projects accelerate with funding Brett French Feb 4, 2024 Yellowstone National Park has bustled with construction activity in recent years, and not just because the record-breaking flood of 2022 wiped out roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure. The Great American Outdoors Act, passed by Congress in a bipartisan vote in

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * FRIENDS OF THE EARTH US * NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION * ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD * POWDER RIVER BASIN RESOURCE COUNCIL * WYOMING OUTDOOR COUNCIL February 08, 2024 SUBMITTED VIA E-PLANNING Andrew Archuleta State Director Wyoming Bureau of Land Management 5353 Yellowstone Road Cheyenne, WY 82009

  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 1 5 Post Office Square Suite 100 Boston, MA 02109-3912 Electronic Filing via Regulations.gov Re: Comments on Proposed Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Massachusetts; Regional Haze State Implementation Plan for the Second Implementation Period [EPA Docket No. EPA–R01–OAR–2023–0185] The National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club, Appalachian

To: The Honorable Randy Moore, U.S. Forest Service Chief Re: USDA Old-Growth Initiative February 1st, 2024 Dear Chief Moore, Thank you for starting a process that we hope will end with meaningful protections for existing old-growth forests and trees across the United States, and increase abundance and distribution of old-growth in the future. The undersigned

  January 30, 2024 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 11201 Renner Blvd. Lenexa, KS 66219 Electronic Filing via Regulations.gov Re: Comments on Proposed Air Plan Disapproval; Kansas; Regional Haze [EPA Docket No. EPA–R07–OAR–2023–0582] The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), Sierra Club, and the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (collectively, the Conservation Groups) submit

January 26, 2024 Kate Hammond Regional Director National Park Service 12795 West Alameda Parkway Denver, CO 80225 Subject: 2018 Big Bend Livestock Plan Implementation Dear Regional Director Hammond: I am writing on behalf of more than 2,500 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), who collectively represent more than 45,000 years of

  January 25, 2024 Roger Semler Wilderness Stewardship Division Manager National Park Service 1849 C Street NW, MS–2457 Washington, DC 20240 Subject: Evaluation and Authorization Procedures for Fixed Anchors and Fixed Equipment in National Park Service Wilderness Areas Dear Mr. Semler: I am writing on behalf of more than 2,500 members of the Coalition to

  January 15, 2024 Charles Sellars Superintendent New River Gorge National Park and Preserve National Park Service Post Office Box 246 104 Main Street Glen Jean, WV 25846 Re: Excess Structures and Deferred Maintenance Dear Superintendent Sellars: I write to you on behalf of more than 2,500 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National

National Parks need $22 billion to address growing maintenance backlog By Molly Weisner Jan 11 at 12:30 PM Land management agencies within the U.S. Department of Interior saw steep increases in repair backlogs, prompting urgent discussions in Congress about how to approach the upcoming reauthorization of a public lands maintenance fund that expires in 2025. Agencies defer needed repairs or

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * FRIENDS OF THE EARTH US * NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL * ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD December 27, 2023 SUBMITTED VIA E-PLANNING Jon Raby State Director Bureau of Land Management, Nevada Project Contacts: Concetta Brown cc*****@bl*.gov (775) 289-1885 Re: Scoping comments on parcels for the Nevada Bureau

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * FRIENDS OF THE EARTH US * MONTANA WILDLIFE FEDERATION * NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION * ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD   December 20, 2023  SUBMITTED VIA E-PLANNING  Melanie Barnes New Mexico State Director Bureau of Land Management  301 Dinosaur Trail  Santa Fe, NM 87508  Project Contacts:  Catherine Brewster

By Jess Repanshek – December 31th, 2023 We’re closing out the year with a look back at some of the top stories around the National Park System, and involving the National Park Service. We opened this look a week ago with Kristen Brengel from the National Parks Conservation Association and Mike Murray from the Coalition to