Statement of Don Neubacher, board member of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and former superintendent of Yosemite National Park, on reports that the administration may give a private developer an easement through Yosemite to provide access to private property: “Yosemite National Park does not belong to a developer, a corporation, or any administration.
Member Op-Ed: Don’t Let This Administration Dismantle Public Lands
Don’t let this administration dismantle public lands The Administration’s recent dismantling of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments is not just a loss for Utah; it is a warning for all Americans who care about our iconic public lands. Here in Colorado, that’s nearly every one of us. Recent polling found that
More Than 50 Organizations Call on Interior to Preserve Oil and Gas Leasing Safeguards
ARCHAEOLOGY SOUTHWEST COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION COLORADO CONSERVATIVES FOR RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP DAKOTA RESOURCE COUNCIL * DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL NEVADA CONSERVATION LEAGUE NEW MEXICO VOICES FOR CHILDREN NEW MEXICO WILD * NUESTRA TIERRA CONSERVATION PROJECT POWDER RIVER BASIN RESOURCE COUNCIL * PUBLIC CITIZEN ROCKY MOUNTAIN
More Than 50 Organizations Urge Interior Department to Preserve Oil and Gas Leasing Protections
Summary On August 24, 2026, more than 50 conservation, environmental-justice, public-health, recreation, wildlife, and community organizations—representing millions of members—urged Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Bureau of Land Management Director Steve Pearce to withdraw the Department of the Interior’s proposed oil and gas leasing rule. The groups ask the department to retain and fully implement BLM’s
19 Conservation and Public Lands Groups Urge BLM to Withdraw Proposed Oil and Gas Leasing Rule
Summary On August 24, 2026, the Western Environmental Law Center and 18 conservation, public-lands, wildlife, and community organizations submitted comments opposing the Bureau of Land Management’s proposed Oil and Gas Leasing Rule, RIN 1004-AF05. The organizations contend that the proposal would weaken safeguards governing oil and gas development on federal lands, reduce public participation, expose
Conservation Groups Unite to Protect the Old Spanish National Historic Trail from Utah Oil and Gas Leasing
John W. Hiscock Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Western Watersheds Project Basin and Range Watch Protest – DOI-BLM-UT-0000-2026-0005-EA – BLM Utah 2026 Third Quarter Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale Environmental Assessment and FONSI August 21, 2026 Bureau of Land Management Utah State
Coalition Files Legal Brief to Protect Big Bend National Park from Border Construction
For Immediate Release: August 18, 2026 Contact: sa*@***************es.com Press Release: Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and Keep Big Bend Wild File Amicus Brief Against Big Bend National Park Border Construction Last week, the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and Keep Big Bend Wild filed an amicus brief asserting that the Department of Homeland
Coalition Also Joins Comments Urging NPS to Maintain Wilderness Protections
National Parks Conservation Association, Alaska Wilderness League, Badlands Conservation Alliance, Californians for Western Wilderness, CalWild, Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, Continental Divide Trail Coalition, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, Friends of Nevada Wilderness, Glacier Two-Medicine Alliance, Grand Canyon Trust, Minnesota Division of the Izaak Walton League of America, Mountain Mamas, Natural Resources Defense
Conservation Groups Urge National Park Service to Preserve Strong Wilderness Protections
August 14, 2026 Michael P. Michener Deputy Associate Director, Visitor and Resource Protection National Park Service 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240 Subject: Comments on National Park Service Director’s Order #41: Wilderness Stewardship (91 Fed. Reg. 35,998 (June 15, 2026)) Dear Mr. Michener: This letter is submitted on behalf of the undersigned organizations and
New Reports Raise Questions About Diversion of National Park Funds to Washington, D.C. Projects
For Immediate Release: August 12, 2026 Contact: da*@*******ms.com New Reporting: Trump and Burgum Have Used Millions of National Park Dollars for D.C. Vanity Projects CNN: At least 30% of revenue from park entrance fees redirected to Reflecting Pool contract, other D.C. vanity projects Washington, D.C. — With questions swirling over the botched renovation of the
Member Op-Ed: Chaco buffer provides breathing room for site
By Tom Vaughan Aug 9, 2026 I spent decades working at remarkable sites across the National Park System, but Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico stands out. Set aside by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907, Chaco Culture NHP has since been designated a World Heritage Site, putting it in the same globally
Coalition Comments on Proposed NPS Wilderness Climbing Policy
ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW Comments submitted at: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/NPS-2026-0101-0001 August 10, 2026 Michael Michener Deputy Associate Director, Visitor and Resource Protection National Park Service 1849 C Street NW, MS–2457 Washington, DC 20240 Subject: Comments on Director’s Order (DO) 41: Wilderness Stewardship, Section 7.2 (draft) and Reference Manual (RM) 41: Wilderness Stewardship,
Member Op-Ed: Monuments never blocked public access, but stripping their protections will cost us.
Letter to the editor: Monuments never blocked public access, but stripping their protections will cost us Published: Aug 2, 2026, 11:00 a.m. MDT As someone who spent nearly 40 years managing our public lands, including as superintendent of Bryce Canyon National Park, I was dismayed by President Donald Trump’s false statement about access to Bears
Coalition Urges National Park Service to Preserve Director’s Order 41 and Existing Wilderness Stewardship Protections
ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW Submitted via: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/NPS-2026-0100-0001 August 3, 2026 Michael P. Michener Deputy Associate Director, Visitor and Resource Protection National Park Service 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240 Subject: Comments on National Park Service Level 2 Wilderness Stewardship Policy Review: Director’s Order #41 Dear Mr. Michener: The Coalition
Coalition Participates in Live Podcast for Keep Parks Public Campaign
Panel puts spotlight on Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, BLM Director Steve Pearce, and anti-park members of Congress SANTA FE— Leaders from New Mexico advocacy groups and the Center for Western Priorities called on President Donald Trump, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and former New Mexico congressman and current Bureau of Land Management director Steve Pearce to
More Than 330 Organizations Tell Trump Administration: America’s National Monuments Are Not for Sale
President Trump Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum cc: Members of Congress Our national parks and monuments are among our country’s most precious places. These cherished spaces protect Tribal and Indigenous homelands, outdoor access, drinking water, and wildlife habitats. They sustain rural economies and support family businesses. They belong to all Americans. Public lands
Member Op-Ed: Don’t Abandon World Heritage
The July 26 front-page article “Okefenokee becomes a World Heritage site” prominently noted the addition of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to the UNESCO World Heritage List, making it the 27th World Heritage Site in the United States. Unfortunately, Okefenokee might be the last such addition for years to come. The United States led the
Environmental Groups Challenge Trump EPA’s Rejection of Hawaiʻi’s Clean Air Plan in Federal Court
Environmental Groups Challenge Trump EPA’s Rejection of Hawaiʻi’s Clean Air Plan in Federal Court Coalition asks court to overturn an illegal EPA rule that harms the state’s iconic and unique park lands FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ivan Moreno, NRDC, im*****@**dc.org, 312.651.7932 Isaac Moriwake, Earthjustice, im*******@**********ce.org, 808.222.2531 HONOLULU (July 22, 2026) — A coalition of conservation
Coalition Urges BLM to Defer Q4 Oil and Gas Lease Sales and Protect Theodore Roosevelt National Park
July 16, 2026 U.S. Bureau of Land Management Montana/Dakotas State Office Branch of Fluid Minerals Attn: Hattie Payne 5001 Southgate Drive Billings, MT 59101 U.S. Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office 5353 Yellowstone Road Cheyenne, WY 82009 Re: Comments on Draft EA and FONSI for the Montana-Dakotas and Wyoming Q4 2026 Oil and
Former National Park Leaders Urge Secretary Burgum to Preserve Protections for Chaco Culture
July 16, 2026 The Honorable Doug Burgum Secretary of the Interior 1849 C Street NW Washington, D.C. 20240 Re: Proposal to Eliminate Protections for Chaco Culture National Historical Park Dear Secretary Burgum: As former National Park leaders and current members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and the Association of National Park
Conservation Groups Urge BLM to Withdraw Utah Oil and Gas Leases Threatening the Old Spanish National Historic Trail
RE: Scoping Comments – DOI-BLM-UT-0000-2026-0007-EA – BLM Utah 2026 Fourth Quarter Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale Environmental Assessment Submitted via email: bl****************@*lm.gov July 15, 2026 The following comments are submitted by John W. Hiscock, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, Western Watersheds Project,
Coalition To Protect America’s National Parks Statement on the Trump Administration’s Efforts to Shrink Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments
For Immediate Release: Monday, July 13, 2026 Contact: Doug Gordon | do**@***************es.com Coalition To Protect America’s National Parks Statement on the Trump Administration’s Efforts to Shrink Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments In response to President Trump signing an executive order to shrink Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments, Cheryl Schreier, Chair of
Coalition Urges CBP to Minimize Border Barrier Construction and Keep Big Bend National Park Wild
ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW July 10, 2026 Submitted via email to: Bi*************@*****hs.gov Subject: Brewster County Vehicle Barrier System Construction The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition) is comprised of more than 5,000 members, all of whom are retired, former, or current National Park Service (NPS) employees or volunteers who collectively
Conservation Groups Challenge BLM’s Purple Sage Energy Center Over Threats to the Old Spanish National Historic Trail
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility Coalition To Protect America’s National Parks Western Watersheds Project Basin and Range Watch and John W. Hiscock July 9, 2026 Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Southern Nevada District Las Vegas Field Office 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, Nevada 89130 BL***********************@*lm.gov Protest – Proposed Resource Management
Coalition Opposes Reopening Moose-Wilson Road Decision Without Full Public Review
ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW July 8, 2026 National Park Service, Grand Teton National Park Subject: Comment on Revised Draft Programmatic Agreement for the Moose-Wilson Road Comprehensive Management Plan The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition) is comprised of more than 5,000 members, all of whom are