As the first major step towards reaching its goal to “conserve, connect, and restore” 30 percent of the nation’s land and water by 2030, the Biden administration released its “America the Beautiful” report in 2021, laying out the broad principles guiding the effort, but lacking specific details on which lands, exactly, need to be
Coalition Submits Comments on Ironman Race Permit Request at Blue Ridge Parkway
January 29, 2022 Ms. Tracy Swartout, Superintendent Blue Ridge Parkway 199 Hemphill Knob Rd Asheville, NC 28803 Dear Superintendent Swartout: I am writing to you on behalf of over 2,100 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
Coalition Expresses Strong Concern Over Potential Development Near Manassas National Battlefield Park
January 25, 2022 Chair Wheeler and Members of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, I am writing you today on behalf of the Coalition to Protect Americas National Parks, a non-profit organization composed of more than 2,100 retired, former and current employees of the National Park Service (NPS), who collectively have over
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
Coalition Joins Request for Pre-Decisional Referral for Historic Jamestown Transmission Lines Project
January 19, 2022 Charles F. Sams III Director National Park Service 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240 RE: NAO-2012-00080 Surry-Skiffes Creek-Whealton Proposal Request for Pre-Decisional Referral to CEQ Dear Director Sams: Congratulations on your appointment as the Director of the National Park Service. We look forward to working with you. We, the undersigned, urge
Coalition Joins Call to Delay Community Meetings Over Proposed Data Center Near Manassas Battlefield
Chair Ann Wheeler Supervisor Victor S. Angry Supervisor Jeanine Lawson Supervisor Yesli Vega Supervisor Pete Candland Supervisor Kenny A. Boddye Supervisor Andrea O. Bailey Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin January 13, 2022 Dear Chair Wheeler, and Supervisors Angry, Lawson, Vega, Candland, Boddye, Bailey, and Franklin: We, the below signers, write to you today to urge
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 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 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
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
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
NPT Episode 141: Is Charles Sams The Next National Park Service Director?
By Kurt Repanshek – October 24th, 2021 We are on the cusp of having the first Senate-confirmed director of the National Park Service since Jonathan Jarvis retired at the end of the Obama administration in January 2017. Since then there’s been a revolving cast of individuals serving as acting director. But now the Biden Administration
Ticket to paradise? Crowded national parks try reservations, fees
By Rob Hotakainen | 10/04/2021 11:59 AM EST Mount Desert Island, MAINE — With tickets selling out in seconds every day, Herb Cohen figured he was lucky to get a reservation that allowed him to park his car just steps from the summit of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park — the coveted
Comments on Indiana’s Regional Haze State Implementation Plan
October 1, 2021 Via electronic mail Jean Boling Senior Environmental Engineer Indiana Department of Environmental Management Office of Air Quality, Air Programs Branch 100 North Senate Avenue, MC 61-53 IGCN 1003 Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251 Re: Requesting Extension of Comment Period for Indiana’s Regional Haze State Implementation Plan for the Second Implementation Period. Dear
Comments on Arches National Park Proposed Air Tour Management Plan
October 1, 2021 Ms. Patricia Trap, Superintendent National Park Service Southeast Utah Group 2282 Resource Blvd. Moab, UT 84532 Subject: Comments on Arches National Park Proposed Air Tour Management Plan Dear Superintendent Trap: I am writing on behalf of over 1,900 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), whose membership
Comments on Bandelier National Monument Proposed Air Tour Management
October 1, 2021 Mr. Patrick Suddath, Superintendent Bandelier National Monument 15 Entrance RD Los Alamos, NM 87544 Subject: Comments on Bandelier National Monument Proposed Air Tour Management Plan Dear Superintendent Suddath: I am writing on behalf of over 1,900 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), whose membership is comprised of retired, former,
Comments on Natural Bridges National Monument Proposed Air Tour Management Plan
September 29, 2021 Ms. Patricia Trap, Superintendent National Park Service Southeast Utah Group 2282 Resource Blvd. Moab, UT 84532 Subject: Comments on Natural Bridges National Monument Proposed Air Tour Management Plan Dear Superintendent Trap: I am writing on behalf of over 1,900 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), whose membership
Comments on Bryce Canyon National Park Proposed Air Tour Management Plan
September 29, 2021 Mr. Jim Ireland, Superintendent Bryce Canyon National Park P.O. Box 640201 Bryce, UT 84764 Subject: Comments on Bryce Canyon National Park Proposed Air Tour Management Plan Dear Superintendent Ireland: I am writing on behalf of over 1,900 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), whose membership is comprised
Comments on Glacier National Park Proposed Air Tour Management Plan
September 29, 2021 Mr. Pete Webster, Acting Superintendent Glacier National Park PO Box 128 West Glacier, MT 59936 Subject: Comments on Glacier National Park Proposed Air Tour Management Plan Dear Acting Superintendent Webster: I am writing on behalf of over 1,900 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), whose membership is comprised of
Comments on Great Smoky Mountains NP Proposed Air Tour Management Plan
September 29, 2021 Mr. Cassius Cash, Superintendent Great Smoky Mountains National Park 107 Park Headquarters Road Gatlinburg, TN 37738 Subject: Comments on Great Smoky Mountains NP Proposed Air Tour Management Plan Dear Superintendent Cash: I am writing on behalf of over 1,900 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), whose membership is comprised
Coalition Signs On in Support of Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act
September 29, 2021 Dear Representative, We, the members of the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition, write in support of the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, particularly the significant investments for national parks through investments in the Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP), Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) and Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Project
Coalition Supports Local Vision for Alabama Black Belt NHA
September 30, 2021 Ms. Shannon Estenoz Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington DC 20240 Dear Ms. Estenoz: Thank you again for meeting with us on Tuesday, September 28. We greatly appreciated the opportunity to discuss several important issues and concerns with
Member Op-Ed: Protect national parks before they reach their breaking point
National Parks are at their breaking point. You’ve seen the images; visitors lined up to hike at Zion National Park, heavy traffic at Yellowstone National Park and big crowds in Arches National Park. Although our COVID-19 infection rates continue to climb, visitors are still flocking to national parks. Collectively, we have spent over 70 years