Traveler’s View: Study Air Tour Management Plans Carefully By Kurt Repanshek – September 6th, 2021 Though we had paddled halfway down Yellowstone Lake into an area of Yellowstone National Park that is managed as wilderness and where it would take you a day or more to reach on foot, we hadn’t entirely escaped the 21st
Coalition Comments On Reforms To Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Program
September 2, 2021 The Honorable Joe Manchin Chairman, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Raul Grijalva Chairman, House Natural Resources Committee U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 CC: Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi Dear Chairmen Manchin and Grijalva, We are writing on behalf of
Coalition Joins Call to Restore National Monument Protections
August 31, 2021 President Joseph R. Biden Jr. The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Biden, On behalf of the undersigned organizations and the millions of members and supporters we collectively represent, we urge you to immediately take action to restore national monument protections to Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and
Coalition Signs on To Deferred Maintenance Letter
August 30, 2021 Dear Chairman Manchin and Ranking Member Barrasso, As the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources prepares its portion of S. Con. Res. 14, the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition requests $5 billion for the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to address deferred maintenance needs in our
Member Op-Ed: Our national parks need more funding to keep up with rising number of visitors.
Parks across the country have seen record-breaking numbers of visitors this summer, even as we continue to grapple with the impacts of COVID-19. I’m sure 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. Here in Maine,
GAOA Funds Must Be Available to More Units Across the National Park System
August 26, 2021 Honorable Deb Haaland Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Secretary Haaland: Our organizations are writing to express our deep concern about the need to make funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) available to more units across the National Park System.
Coalition Speaks with NPR On NPS Mask Mandates
National Parks Requiring Masks For All Visitors Again As of this week, the National Park Service is requiring everyone – regardless of vaccination status – to wear masks in national park facilities, public transport systems and in crowded outside areas. Denise Germann is with Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. She
Coalition Concern Over Air Tour Management Plans
August 16, 2021 Mr. Shawn Benge, Acting Director National Park Service 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington DC 20240 Subject: National Park Proposed Air Tour Management Plans referred to in Federal Register on July 29, 2021; Document Citation: 86 FR 40897 Document Number: 2021-16182 Dear Acting Director Benge: We are writing to you on behalf
Member Op-Ed: Off-highway vehicles in national parks is a bad idea
Mike Lee’s bill to allow off-highway vehicles in national parks is a bad idea By Cordell Roy | Special to The Tribune U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, recently introduced two bills in the Senate — S.1526 and S.1527 — that have to do with allowing off-highway vehicle use in our national parks. S.1526,
Coalition Submits Letter in Opposition to ATV Use in Utah National Park
July 27, 2021 Subjects: 1) Opposition to S. 1526, a bill to authorize the use of off-highway vehicles in certain areas of the Capitol Reef National Park, Utah; and 2) Opposition to S. 1527, a bill to amend Title 54, United States Code, to provide that State law shall apply to the use of motor
National Parks Traveler Episode 128: Waiting For A National Park Service Director
A roundtable discussion with Phil Francis from the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and Kristen Brengel of National Parks Conservation discuss why the National Park Service still is without a Senate-confirmed director. Listen to Episode 128
Coalition Joins Comments on Florida’s Proposed Regional Haze Plan
July 9, 2021 Ashley Kung Florida Department of Environmental Protection 2600 Blair Stone Road Tallahassee, FL 32301 Re: Conservation Organizations’ Comments on Florida’s Proposed Revisions Regional Haze State Implementation Plan for the Second Implementation Period Dear Ms. Kung: The National Parks Conservation Association, Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and Sierra Club (“Conservation Organizations”)
Coalition Opposes S. 1812 – A Bill to Expand Lincoln Home NHS
July 8, 2021 Subject: Opposition to S. 1812 – A bill to expand Lincoln Home National Historic Site Dear Chairman Manchin and Ranking Member Barrasso: 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, or current National
Coalition Sends Comment Letter Regarding NPS Campground Strategy
July 7, 2021 Dear Mr. Caldwell, We offer these comments as a follow up to our letter of March 9, 2021, regarding the proposed NPS Second Century Campground Strategy. First, we commend the National Park Service (NPS) on the release of the Campground Design Standards that will provide excellent guidance to park managers. The
Coalition Signs On in Opposition to General Management Plan Amendment for Point Reyes National Seashore
June 30, 2021 The Honorable Deb Haaland Secretary of the Interior U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C St. NW Washington, D.C. 20240 RE: Protect Point Reyes National Seashore from industrial agriculture and restore the park for all Americans Dear Secretary Haaland: Our organizations – over 50 in number – have joined together to urge
Member Op-Ed: America the Beautiful initiative is right on time
President Biden’s plan will combat some of the worst impacts of climate change in Colorado By Sheridan Steele – June 30, 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic has reaffirmed for me just how lucky I am to live in Colorado. As households across the country spent months in lockdown, a trip to the great outdoors provided
Member Op-Ed:Biden’s America the Beautiful Plan will help ensure national parks are protected, accessible
Biden’s America the Beautiful Plan will help ensure national parks are protected, accessible Bill Wade | Special to Tucson Sentinel.com | Jun 29, 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic has very visibly demonstrated just how important parks are to Americans. With households across the country spending months in lockdown, a trip to the great outdoors provided much
Letter Sent to DOI Expressing Concerns Over Plans to Drill Near Dinosaur NM
June 28, 2021 The Honorable Debra Haaland Secretary of Interior U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C St. NW Washington, D.C. 20240 Subject: Proposed Oil and Gas Drilling Adjacent to Dinosaur National Monument under Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lease No. UTU-81185 Dear Secretary Haaland, I am writing to you on behalf of over
Member oped: Restore protections to Grand Staircase-Escalante
By Noel Poe | Special to the Tribune | June 22, 2021 Throughout my 37-plus years with the National Park Service, I have had the privilege to work in national parks across the country. While each park is different, one of the common threads linking them together is the dedication of local communities and
OPPOSE Large Scale Pumped Storage Budget Proposal – “Eagle Crest Bailout”
June 25, 2021 Re: OPPOSE Large Scale Pumped Storage Budget Proposal – “Eagle Crest Bailout” Our diverse coalition of organizations representing environmental, community choice aggregation, renewable energy, industrial ratepayer, agricultural, and veteran interests write in strong opposition to a troubling proposal that includes the ratepayer underwriting of the multi-billion-dollar Eagle Crest (also called Eagle
Member oped: Drilling near Dinosaur NM is a Mistake
Dinosaur National Monument Visitor Center By Nick Eason | Special to The Tribune Reflecting upon a 30-year career with the National Park Service (NPS), I’ve had the good fortune of working in some of America’s most iconic landscapes. Of all these prominent places and memories, Dinosaur National Monument is my most treasured and
Member Oped: Let park managers manage their national parks
Donald A. Falvey: Let park managers manage their national parks Zion National Park should restore the timed entry ticket system for its shuttles. By Donald A. Falvey | Special to The Salt Lake Tribune | June 22, 2021, 11:00 a.m. Flashback: A National Park Service superintendent’s conference in the 1990s. The regional director called me
Coalition Supports Bennet’s Reintroduced Oil and Gas Reform Bills
Today, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet reintroduced two bills to tackle the growing orphaned oil well crisis in the short and long term while restoring robust public participation for decisions about whether public lands should be leased for drilling. Underlying these crises is the outdated federal oil and gas leasing system, which for decades has failed
Coalition Continues to Push for Stronger Air Quality Standards
June 10, 2021 President Joe Biden The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20500 Administrator Michael Regan U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20460 RE: Strengthen the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone and Particulate Matter Dear Mr. President and Administrator Regan, On behalf of our millions of members
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