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
Coalition Signs on in Support of Increased FY25 Funding for DOI and USFS
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 – NPS Budgetary Blues
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
Coalition Signs on in Support of Increased Funding Levels for FY25 Interior Appropriation Bill
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
Member Op-Ed: Funding cuts are pushing our national parks to the breaking point
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
Coalition Speaks with NPT About President’s FY 2025 Budget Request
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
Coalition Concerned Over Impending NPS Budget Cuts
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
Coalition Comments on Compromise Budget That Will Cut $150 Million From NPS
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
Coalition Speaks with Federal Times about and Shutdowns and Employee Morale
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
Coalition Joins General Support Letter for Senate FY 24 Interior Appropriations Bill
December 13, 2023 The Honorable Chuck Schumer Senate Majority Leader The Honorable Mitch McConnell Senate Minority Leader The Honorable Patty Murray Chair, Committee on Appropriations The Honorable Susan Collins Ranking Member, Committee on Appropriations The Honorable Jeff Merkley Chair, Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee The Honorable Lisa Murkowski Ranking Member, Interior, Environment Appropriations
NPT: Trying Times For National Park Service Funding
Trying Times For National Park Service Funding By Kurt Repanshek – November 12th, 2023 It was just over a month ago when the federal government was staring at the possibility of a shutdown. Little seemingly has changed in the ensuing weeks, other than that the U.S. House of Representatives has a new speaker in
Coalition Joins 48 Environmental Organizations Urging Members to Oppose Amendments to the 2024 House Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act
The Coalition joined 48 environmental organizations in sending the below letter to the House of Representatives urging Members to oppose the following amendments to H.R. 4821, the House Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024, when they come up for votes. November 2, 2023 U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515
Coalition Opposes the U.S. House of Representatives FY24 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill
October 31, 2023 Dear Members of Congress, We, the members of the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition, and friends of the coalition urge you to oppose the U.S. House of Representatives Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The bill cuts the National Park Service (NPS) budget by $433 million
Coalition Signs On in Opposition to House Interior Appropriations Bill
October 25, 2023 United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 Re: Please oppose H.R. 4821, the 2024 interior bill, which would eviscerate environmental protections, decimate historic climate progress in the Inflation Reduction Act, green light harmful poison pill anti-environmental riders, and so much more Dear Representative, On behalf of our millions of members and
Coalition Shares Comments on Debt Ceiling Legislation
Debt Ceiling Agreement Stands To Be Damaging To National Park Service By Kurt Repanshek – June 1st, 2023 Proposed legislation to lift the nation’s debt ceiling stands to be damaging to the National Park Service if passed in its current form, according to a budget analyst for the National Parks Conservation Association. The agreement
Coalition Joins NPT for a Conversation About the Debt Ceiling Crisis and National Parks
National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 222 Debt Ceiling Crisis And The Parks By Jess Repanshek – May 14th, 2023 While spring is slowly giving way to summer in many parts of the country, with visitors gaining more and more access to the National Park System, a stand-off in Washington over the country’s debt ceiling
Statement for the Record of Michael B. Murray Chair of the Executive Council to The National Parks Committee on The President’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request for the National Park Service
Statement for the Record Michael B. Murray Chair of the Executive Council, Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Subcommittee on National Parks Committee on Energy and Natural Resources United States Senate The President’s Budget Request for the National Park Service for Fiscal Year 2024 May 10, 2023 Chairman King, Ranking Member Daines, and members
Coalition Submits Statement for the Record To Senate Committee on Appropriations Regarding FY 2024 NPS Appropriations
Statement for the Record Michael B. Murray Chair of the Executive Council, Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies United States Senate FY 2024 Appropriations for the National Park Service, Department of the Interior April 10, 2023 Chairman Merkley, Ranking Member Murkowski, and members of
Coalition Statement for the Record Concerning FY 2024 NPS Appropriations
Statement for the Record Michael B. Murray 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 2024 Appropriations for the National Park Service, Department of the Interior March 17, 2023 Chairman Simpson, Ranking Member Pingree, and
Coalition Statement on President Biden’s FY 2024 Budget
For release: March 9, 2023 Contact: Emily Thompson, Em************@pr********.org Coalition Statement on President Biden’s FY 2024 Budget Today, President Biden released his budget proposal for fiscal year 2024. The proposal calls for $3.8 billion to the National Park Service (NPS) budget, an increase from FY 2023. If enacted, this funding would help to address
Coalition Celebrates Passage of National Heritage Area Act
Date: 12.22.22 Contact: Emily Thompson Today, the National Heritage Area Act (S. 1942) passed the House with a remarkable level of bi-partisan support. The bill passed the Senate on Tuesday. It now heads to President Biden’s desk for signature. Mike Murray, Chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, issued the following statement
Coalition Statement on FY2023 Omnibus Funding Bill
Date: 12.21.22 Contact: Emily Thompson Congress has introduced an omnibus funding bill for fiscal year 2023, which calls for a much-needed increase of more than $210 million to the National Park Service (NPS). The bill also includes $1.5 billion in critically needed supplemental disaster funding for parks across the country still dealing with the
Coalition Urges Passage of National Heritage Act in Letter to Congressional Leadership
December 13, 2022 The Honorable Charles Schumer Majority Leader United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Mitch McConnell Minority Leader United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Minority Leader United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515
Coalition Supports Increased Funding For Environmental Agencies and Programs in FY23 Omnibus Bill
November 30, 2022 Dear Chairman Leahy, Vice Chairman Shelby, Chairwoman DeLauro, and Ranking Member Granger: On behalf of our tens of millions of members and supporters across the country, we respectfully request that you support significantly increased funding for environmental agencies and programs in the FY23 omnibus. We also ask that you reject
Coalition Signs on In Support of Additional Funding for Disaster Relief in FY23 Appropriations Omnibus Bill
November 14th, 2022 RE: Include public lands disaster relief in the next FY23 funding vehicle Dear Senators and Representatives: We, the undersigned organizations, representing millions of Americans, are dismayed by the devastation this year’s natural disasters have caused to communities throughout the country and commend the bipartisan aid you have provided for their needs to
Coalition Leads Effort in Support of Additional FY23 NPS Funding
American Hiking Society * Appalachian Mountain Club * Appalachian Trail Conservancy * Chesapeake Conservancy * Connecticut Forest & Park Association Continental Divide Trail Association * Environmental Action Committee of West Marin * East Bay Regional Park District * Endangered Species Coalition Evangelical Environmental Network * Friends of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Friends of Saguaro National Park *
Coalition Submits Testimony on FY23 NPS Appropriations
Statement for the Record Michael B. Murray Chair of the Executive Council, Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Committee on Appropriations United States Senate FY 2023 Appropriations for the National Park Service, Department of the Interior June 8, 2022 Chairman Merkley, Ranking Member Murkowski, and
NPT: The National Park System’s Crippling Maintenance Backlog
National Parks Traveler Episode 170 The National Park System’s Crippling Maintenance Backlog By Kurt Repanshek – May 15th, 2022 In today’s podcast, we’re looking out across the National Park System, and at the National Park Service, in advance of the Memorial Day Weekend, the traditional launch to summer, to explore how things are on
Coalition Joins Sign On Commending GAOA Hearing
February 8, 2022 Dear Chairman King, Ranking Member Daines and Members of the Committee, We, the members of the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition (Coalition), thank the Subcommittee on National Parks for hosting the important upcoming hearing on the Great American Outdoors Act. We commend the historic bipartisan support for this bill and
Coalition Joins Call Urging Passage of Final FY 22 Appropriations Bills
January 24, 2022 Dear Chairman Leahy, Ranking Member Shelby, Chairwoman DeLauro and Ranking Member Granger, We, the members of the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition, urge passage of final Fiscal Year 2022 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bills to address significant park understaffing and related operational
Former Coalition Chair Comments on Funding Imbalance and the Parks
NPT Editor’s note: Without adequate funding, you can’t quickly repair your leaking roof, or hire enough employees to meet your customers’ needs and demands. At the National Park Service, the lack of adequate funding across the board threatens the agency’s mission, landing the issue of park funding on National Parks Traveler’s 3rd Annual Threatened and
Coalition Submits Testimony for National Park and Public Lands Bills
Statement for the Record Philip A. Francis, Jr. Chair of the Executive Council Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests & Mining Committee on Energy & Natural Resources United States Senate Hearing on Various National Park and Public Lands Bills June 16, 2021 Senator Cortez Masto, Senator Lee, and members of
Coalition Statement on President Biden’s FY2022 Budget
Coalition Statement on President Biden’s FY2022 Budget Date: 6.3.2021 Contact: Emily Thompson; Em************@pr********.org Last week, the Biden administration released its budget proposal for fiscal year 2022. The proposal calls for significant investments in the National Park System, including an increase of nearly $381 million (a 12% increase) to the National Park Service (NPS) budget.
Coalition Submits Budget Recommendations for Committee Hearing
The Coalition submitted its FY 2022 NPS Budget Recommendations as part of the official record for the House Natural Resources Subcommittee hearing entitled “Building Back Better: Examining the Future of America’s Public Lands.” FY 2022 National Park Service Budget Recommendations from the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks EXECUTIVE SUMMARY At a time when
Coalition Signs on to FY 21 Appropriations Letter
November 19, 2020 Dear Chairwoman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall, Chairwoman Collins and Ranking Member Reed, Chairwoman McCollum and Ranking Member Joyce, Chairman Price and Ranking Member Diaz-Balart, We, the members of the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition, thank you for your investments over the years to our national parks given the constraints to
Coalition Signs on to FY21 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Letter
July 23, 2020 Dear Representative, We, the members of the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition , ask that you support the FY21 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as part of the minibus package. We also urge you to oppose any policy riders that harm our national parks. We support the robust $200
Coalition Signs on to Funding Requests
April 30, 2020 Dear Chairwoman McCollum, Ranking Member Joyce, Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Udall, We, the members of the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition (i), write to encourage you to increase funding for the National Park Service (NPS) and ensure exclusion of all policy riders that harm our national parks within the Interior,
Testimony of Philip A. Francis, Jr. Chair of the Executive Council
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 House of Representatives Hearing on FY 2021 Budget for the National Park Service March 6, 2020 Rep. McCollum, Rep. Joyce, and members of the subcommittee, thank
Coalition: National Park Visitation Demands Greater National Park Service Budget
Coalition: National Park Visitation Demands Greater National Park Service Budget By Kurt Repanshek on March 2nd, 2020 © National Parks Traveler While visitation to the National Park System remains strong, the same can’t be said of the National Park Service’s ability to welcome those visitors and preserve the parks’ resources, according to the
Public Lands Should Not Be Sold to Balance the Budget
Today was the nomination hearing for Judy Shelton, President Trump’s latest nominee for the Federal Reserve Board. Shelton has expressed the view that the U.S. government should sell-off its “numerous federal land holdings” in order to “expedite the achievement of a balanced budget.” Phil Francis, Chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks,
Coalition Statement on House Spending Packages
Coalition Statement on House Spending Packages For Immediate Release: 12/18/19 “We are pleased to see the increase to the National Park Service budget and appreciate the bipartisan investment in our national parks and public lands. Our national parks and national park service employees help to ensure that irreplaceable natural and cultural resources are preserved for
CPANP Letter Opposing DOI Reorg and the Use of Unobligated Funds
October 9, 2019 Dear Chairmen Murkowski and McCollum and Ranking Members Udall and Joyce: We are writing on behalf of over 1,700 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, speaks,
Coalition Statement on the House Appropriations Committee draft fiscal year 2020 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Funding Bill
Statement on the House Appropriations Committee draft fiscal year 2020 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill Release Date: 5/15/19 “We pleased to see that this draft funding bill proposes $3.39 billion for the National Park Service, which is $168 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $649 million above President Trump’s appalling
Coalition Submits Testimony on FY20 Interior Appropriations
Statement of Philip A. Francis, Jr. Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Committee on Appropriations United States Senate FY 2020 Budget for the National Park Service May 13, 2019 Sen. Murkowski, Sen. Udall, and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on behalf
Coalition Testifies Before Congress on DOI Budget Needs
Statement of Richard G. Ring Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Committee on Appropriations House of Representatives Hearing on FY 2020 Budget for the National Park Service February 26, 2019 Rep. McCollum, Rep. Joyce, and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before