WASHINGTON, DC — Earlier today, the United States Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act by a vote of 73-25. The bill now moves to the House for final passage. This act would fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a popular program that invests in national parks, public lands, and communities across
Coalition Joins Partners in Support of INVEST in America Act
June 16, 2020 Dear Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, We, the members of the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition, write in support of the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act (INVEST in America Act), especially the increased funding levels for federal lands to help
Amid pandemic, Interior moves forward with enormous oil and gas drilling plan on public lands near National Parks
Contact: Liam Kelly, National Parks Conservation Association, 213-814-8666, lk****@**ca.org Landon Newell, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, 801.428.3991, la****@**wa.org Salt Lake City, UT – The Trump administration has released its proposal to open up more than 110,000 acres of public land to oil and gas drilling, most of which lies in southern Utah near Canyonlands,
Coalition Chair Talks Great American Outdoors Act on This Green Earth
Phil Francis from the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks joins Nell and Chris on This Green Earth to talk about “The Great American Outdoors Act”, a bill designed to provide full and permanent funding for LWCF and help address the deferred maintenance backlog in national parks.
Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Applauds Introduction of the Bill in the House of Representatives, Senate Cloture Vote
WASHINGTON, DC — Earlier today, the US Senate held a cloture vote to advance the Great American Outdoors Act just days after the legislation was also introduced in the US House of Representatives. The Great American Outdoors Act would fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a popular program that invests in public
Coalition Condemns President Trump’s Removal of Marine Protections on the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument
President Trump announced Friday that he will remove protections on the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, a nearly 5,000-square-mile area southeast of Cape Cod that is home to endangered whales and sea turtles, and will open the area up to commercial fishing. In reaction to the announcement, Phil Francis, chair of the coalition
Coalition Participates in House Virtual Forum on Parks and Pandemic
Statement of Philip A. Francis, Jr. Chair of the Executive Council Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Committee on Natural Resources Virtual Forum House of Representatives “Not So Grand Opening: Examining Local Perspectives on the Department of the Interior’s Plan to Reopen National Parks During the Coronavirus
Comments on Proposed Rule titled “General Provisions; Electric Bicycles.”
June 2, 2020 Jay Calhoun, Regulations Program Manager National Park Service 849 C Street NW, MS-2472 Washington, DC 20240 Subject: Comments on Proposed Rule titled “General Provisions; Electric Bicycles.” RIN 1024-AE61. Dear Mr. Calhoun: I am writing to you on behalf of over 1,800 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition),
Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Condemns President’s Use of Violence
Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Condemns President’s Use of Violence Phil Francis, Chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, issued the following statement: The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks condemns the recent and continued attacks on people of color in this country. We mourn the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor,
Coalition Chair Is Guest on Great Battlefield Podcast
Phil Francis joins The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about his 40-year career working for our National Parks and how The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks is working to preserve our Parks and Park Service at a time when they are under attack. Listen here.
Coalition Praises Senate Movement on Great American Outdoors Act
Former National Park Service Employees Praise Senate Movement on Great American Outdoors Act, Urge Swift Passage WASHINGTON, DC — Late yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the Senate would take up the Great American Outdoors Act when it returns next month. The legislation would fully-fund the popular conservation program investing in public
Member OP-ED: The outdoors is a good getaway amid pandemic. Just not the Grand Canyon. Don’t reopen it yet
Grand Canyon National Park is an icon. It attracts visitors from all over the world who flock to the South Rim and other viewpoints within the park that offer a glimpse of the famous Canyon. As the pandemic continues to impact our lives, when social distancing is still the name of the game, reopening this
Coalition Rolls Out Advocacy Toolkit on Reopening Parks
The Coalition has developed a toolkit that summarizes our position on when national parks should safely reopen. We urge you to take a look and reach out to your Congressional representatives or share some of our guidance on your social media. If you need some additional information, please visit our Advocacy Guide, which provides some best practices
Member Oped: Halt oil and gas lease sales and protect Carlsbad Caverns
Rick Smith and Cherry Payne, Coalition to Protect America’s Parks Published Carlsbad Current-Argus May 14, 2020 Each year, over 450,000 people visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park to marvel at otherworldly cave formations and the flying rivers of Mexican free-tail bats departing each evening for their nightly meal. The park is recognized as a national treasure and
Member OpEd: Oil and Gas Lease Sales Should be Paused During the Pandemic Crisis
Opinion: Oil and gas lease sales should be paused during the coronavirus crisis – Sheridan Steele Special to The Colorado Sun The COVID-19 pandemic has swept through the United States and changed our daily lives. Complying with orders from city, state and national leaders, those who are able to in Colorado are staying home to
Coalition Comments on Acting Positions in DOI
– UPDATE – Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) Sues Over “Acting” Positions For National Park Service, BLM Directors Posted by National Parks Traveler Staff (NPT)- May 11th, 2020 NPT Editor’s note: This updates with reaction from the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and National Parks Conservation Association. David Vela, the de facto director of
Coalition Joins 850+ Groups in Congressional Letter Supporting Great American Outdoors Act
Support for the Great American Outdoors Act May 11, 2020 Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader Schumer, and Minority Leader McCarthy: Our organizations, and the members we represent, strongly support passage and subsequent enactment of the Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422) as quickly as possible. This bill is necessary to support the
Coalition Continues to Oppose Legislation that Benefits Eagle Crest
May 6, 2020 OPPOSE AB 2736 (E. GARCIA) As amended May 5, 2020 The above-listed organizations must OPPOSE AB 2736 as amended May 5, 2020, which paired with AB 2255 (Eggman) seeks to greenlight NextEra’s Eagle Crest project. AB 2736 will not protect the environment and will do nothing to protect California ratepayers. AB 2736
Coalition Urges Caution in Podcast Discussion on Reopening Parks
A conversation with Phil Francis, the chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, and Joan Anzelmo, a longtime spokesperson for numerous National Park Service units, about Interior Secretary David Bernhardt’s rush to reopen national parks despite warnings from career NPS staff about risks to employees and the public. Posted May 8,
Coalition Addresses Park Reopenings
During a recent Earth Day ceremony, President Donald Trump announced that his administration will “open up national parks and public lands,” and Interior Secretary Bernhardt continues to tout the reopening of some national parks. “We are also eager to get Americans back into our national parks,” says Phil Francis, Chair of the Coalition to Protect
Victory in a 30-year fight to protect groundwater under Great Basin National Park
There is good news to celebrate in a long struggle against the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s (SNWA) proposed groundwater pumping and pipeline project in Eastern Nevada, which would have caused significant impact to Great Basin National Park. Following a 30-year battle, the SNWA has decided not to appeal the March 2020 decision by Nevada District Court
Coalition Reacts to President Trump’s Remark That National Parks Will Reopen
WASHINGTON, DC —Moments ago, at a tree-planting ceremony on the White House Lawn, President Trump remarked that he would begin to reopen national parks to the public. Phil Francis, Chairman of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (CPANP), issued the following in response: “We understand that the president is eager to reopen our national
Parks Groups File Brief Against Administration’s Weak Air and Climate Rule
Parks Groups File Brief Against Administration’s Weak Air and Climate Rule Washington, DC – The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks took legal action today by filing an amicus brief in the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The brief supports a challenge to the Trump administration’s Affordable Clean Energy (ACE)
Coalition Rebukes Secretary Bernhardt’s Messaging
The Coalition issued a short statement in response to an op-ed by Department of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt. Fox News published an op-ed in which the Secretary defended his lackluster response to the coronavirus pandemic, which many experts have warned puts park workers, volunteers, and visitors at risk of infection. Phil Francis, chairman of the Coalition to Protect
Coalition Submits FOIA Request for NPS COVID-19 Numbers
April 20, 2020 Charis Wilson, FOIA Officer, P.O. Box 25287 12795 W. Alameda Parkway Denver, CO 80225 Subject: Freedom of Information Act Request Dear Ms. Wilson: This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). As background for this request: On April 2, 2020, as Chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s