Op-Ed | In The National Park Service, No Deep State, Only Deep Concern For The Future Of America’s Best Idea By Sheridan Steele Firing federal employees without regard for the importance of their work or the consequence of their loss is not smart — or justified. Identifying and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse is
Reinstatement of Probationary Employees is Welcome News, but Grave Concerns Linger
Release Date: March 20, 2025 Media Contact: Emily Thompson, Em************@********ps.org, 202-758-3936 Reinstatement of Probationary Employees is Welcome News, but Grave Concerns Linger Following a series of court orders, including a ruling in the Coalition’s joint lawsuit against the Office of Personnel Management for the illegal firing of probationary-status employees, the National Park Service (NPS) began
Coalition Comments on NPS Proposed Rule on Powered Micromobility Devices
ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW Submitted on-line at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/16/2024-31578/powered- micromobility-devices#open-comment March 17, 2025 Jay Calhoun National Park Service Division of Regulations, Jurisdiction and Special Park Uses MS-2472 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240 Subject: NPS Proposed Rule on Powered Micromobility Devices, (RIN) 1024-AE79 Dear Mr. Calhoun: I am writing on behalf
Coalition Issues Statement on Continuing Resolution
Release Date: March 14, 2025 Media Contact: Amy Fehir, am*********@********ps.org, 202-758-3936 Coalition Issues Statement on Continuing Resolution With a shutdown averted by the passage of a Continuing Resolution (CR) Phil Francis, Chair of the Executive Council of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, issued the following statement: “While we are thankful a shutdown
Federal Court Orders Reinstatement of Fired Probationary Federal Employees
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Nick Voutsinos, nv********@****me.org Tim Kauffman, ti**********@**ge.org Erik Molvar, em*****@***************ds.org Emily Thompson, Em************@********ps.org Christian Hall, pr***@*********************rs.org Matt Corridoni, ma************@******ts.org Cade Cannedy, ca**********@***********es.org March 13, 2025 Federal Court Orders Reinstatement of Fired Probationary Federal Employees Judge rules workers were illegally fired by the Trump administration SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. District Court
Coalition Joins Protest on Expansion of Domestic Mining on Public Lands
March 12, 2025 Dear Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, and the members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee: On behalf of our millions of members and supporters nationwide, the undersigned organizations write regarding the expansion of domestic mining on public lands and to share our concerns with the erosion of vital guardrails being proposed
Coalition Testifies Before House Committee on FLASH Act
Statement for the Record Bob Krumenaker Retired National Park Service Superintendent Big Bend National Park and Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River US House Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Federal Lands Legislative Hearing on HR 1820 (Rep. Ciscomani) Federal Lands Amplified Security for the Homeland (FLASH) Act March 11, 2025 INTRODUCTION Good morning Chairman Tiffany,
Coalition Signs in Support of Protecting the Environment and Civil Servants FY2025 Appropriations Bills
The Honorable Susan Collins Chair Committee on Appropriations U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Patty Murray Vice Chair Committee on Appropriations U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Tom Cole Chair Committee on Appropriations U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Rosa L. DeLauro Ranking Member Committee on Appropriations U.S. House of
Coalition Joins Letter to Secretary Burgum Calling for Pause on Lease Terminations
March 7, 2025 Dear Secretary Burgum: On behalf of our members, supporters, and volunteer stewards, we write to share concerns regarding the nationwide termination of federal lease arrangements by the Department of the Interior. Several lease terminations published earlier this week will eliminate visitor centers and other facilities valued by the American public. Additionally, some
Member Op-Ed: Federal workers deserve better
Federal workers deserve better Our precious public lands are not red or blue. Some are sacred. Some are waterways. They are forests, deserts or grasslands. And some tower over our landscapes topped with snow where eagles soar. Here in the Four Corners, we are fortunate to have access to these special places where no matter
Coalition Participates in Senate Public Lands Round Table
United States Senate FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 6, 2025 Contact: Justin Krakoff/Maggie Sunstrum (Merkley) – 202-224-3753 Contact: Caty Payette (Heinrich) – 202-224-5521 Contact: Matthew Felling (King) – 202-257-7345 Senators Merkley, Heinrich, King Join Illegally Fired Federal Workers to Stress Dangers of Public Lands Staffing Shortages ***VIDEO FROM ROUNDTABLE HERE*** Washington, D.C. – Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR),
NPS Visitation Hit Record High in 2024 While the Current Administration Continues to Slash Jobs
NPS Visitation Hit Record High in 2024 While the Current Administration Continues to Slash Jobs The National Park Service (NPS) reported a record 331.9 million recreation visits in calendar year 2024, an increase of 6.36 million recreation visits from 2023. “This is a clear indication of how much Americans love their national parks,” said
Coalition Joins NY Historic Preservation Organizations Speaking Out Against Rewriting of History
On February 13, the National Park Service removed all instances of the words Transgender and Queer from the Stonewall National Monument website, as well as other sites and resources referencing LGBTQ+ history. In 1999, Stonewall was the first site in the country listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance to LGBTQ+
The Coalition and Association of National Park Rangers Protest Termination of Probationary NPS Employees
The Honorable Jessica Bowron Acting Director National Park Service SENT VIA EMAIL Dear Acting NPS Director Bowron, As the CEOs of our respective non-profit organizations, the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and the Association of National Park Rangers, we have been closely following the recent decision to terminate probationary employees from the NPS. Our
Coalition Joins 495 Groups Protesting Recent Mass Firing of Federal Employees Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service and the National Park Service
February 28, 2025 United States Senators and Representatives, On behalf of our members, supporters, and volunteer stewards, we write with significant concerns regarding the recent mass firing of federal employees still within their probationary periods, particularly those individuals who had been employed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS),
Coalition Comments on Parcels for Inclusion in the BLM Montana-Dakotas 2025 Third Quarter Oil and Gas Lease Sale
February 28, 2025 Bureau of Land Management Montana/Dakotas State Office Attention: Hattie Payne 5001 Southgate Drive Billings, MT 59101 Subject: Scoping comments on parcels under consideration for inclusion in the BLM Montana-Dakotas 2025 Third Quarter (September) Oil and Gas Lease Sale (DOI-BLM-MT-0000-2025-0001-EA) To whom it may concern: Thank you for the opportunity to submit these
Federal Court Finds Firing of Probationary Federal Employees Illegal
February 27, 2025 Federal Court Finds Firing of Probationary Federal Employees Illegal Judge Alsup calls probationary federal employees “the lifeblood of our government” SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, presided over by Judge William H. Alsup, granted a temporary restraining order against the Office of Personnel Management
Member Op-Ed: They Don’t Know What They Don’t Know
They Don’t Know What They Don’t Know opening the Going to-the- Sun Road, clearing trails, opening backcountry sites and facilities and preparing visitor centers may be delayed BY CHIP WEBER & JEFF MOW FEBRUARY 25, 2025 Much has been written and broadcast recently regarding the impacts of the Trump administration and particularly the Department of
Coalition Joins Over 260 Groups in Opposition to House Budget Resolution
United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 February 24, 2025 Dear Representatives, As you prepare to take up a budget resolution as the first step in the reconciliation process, our organizations from the democracy, good government, labor, immigration, energy, environment, tax, budget, health, gender justice, human needs and other sectors representing millions of people
Coalition Joins Group of Unions, Small Businesses, Veterans, and Conservation Organizations and Seeks Injunction to Prevent Unlawful Firings
Coalition of Unions, Small Businesses, Veterans, and Conservation Organizations Seek Injunction to Prevent Unlawful Firings Amended Complaint also Targets Illegal “Five Things” Email February 24, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C. – In their lawsuit attempting to block the unlawful mass terminations of probationary federal employees, some of the nation’s largest and most influential public service unions,
Coalition Condemns Weekend Chaos Caused by Trump Administration
Coalition Condemns Weekend Chaos Caused by Trump Administration In response to an email sent to federal employees on Saturday, which demanded that federal workers summarize their accomplishments for the week, and additional messaging that warned that “failure to respond will be taken as resignation,” Phil Francis, Chair of the Executive Council of the
Coalition Joins Amicus Brief to Protect Wilderness Battlefield
Washington, DC – Today, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks filed a joint amicus brief, accompanied by a motion for leave to file such brief, in a pivotal legal challenge intended to protect Wilderness Battlefield, an area of Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National
Coalition Supports Maryland Bill HB-741 – Phase-Out Lead Ammunition
February 19, 2025 The Honorable Marc Korman, Chair Environment & Transportation Committee 250 Taylor House Office Building Annapolis, MD 21401 Re: HB 741 – Hunting – Nonlead Ammunition, et al., FAVORABLE Dear Chairman Korman, Vice Chair Boyce and Members of the Committee: Thank you for this opportunity to weigh in on this important issue on behalf
Coalition Supports EPA’s Proposed Disapproval of West Virginia’s Regional Haze Plan
Allegheny County Clean Air Now (ACCAN) * Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance Appalachian Mountain Advocates * Appalachian Voices * Breathe Project Carnegie Mellon University, CREATE Lab * Center for Coalfield Justice Christians For The Mountains * Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Eight Rivers Council * Elks Run Watershed Group Greenbrier River Watershed Association, Inc. * National
Coalition Joins 247 Organizations Opposing Bills Which Would Effectively Repeal the Antiquities Act of 1906
RE: Oppose S.220/H.R.521, which would effectively repeal the Antiquities Act of 1906 Dear Senators and Members of Congress, On behalf of the 247 undersigned organizations and our millions of members across the country, we write to strongly urge you to OPPOSE any legislative attempts to repeal or undermine the Antiquities Act, including S.220/H.R.521 recently introduced