April 20, 2021 President Joseph Biden The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear President Biden: In your inaugural address, you spoke with urgency about the challenges facing our nation: a deadly virus, economic struggle, racial injustices, and climate change. You said, “The cry for survival comes from the planet itself.
Coalition Supports Legislation to Establish Amache Site as an NPS Unit
April 18, 2021 Dear Congressman Neguse and Congressman Buck, On behalf of the 1,900 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), I am writing to express our support for the legislation to establish the Amache National
Coalition Applauds Secretary’s Orders to Repeal Energy Dominance Policies
Release Date: April 16, 2021 Media Contact: Emily Thompson, Em************@********ps.org, 202-758-3936 Coalition Applauds Secretary’s Orders to Repeal Energy Dominance Policies Today, Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, issued two Secretarial Orders (SO) to prioritize action on climate change throughout the Interior Department and to restore transparency and integrity in the Department’s decision-making processes. Secretary
Coalition signs on to Protect National Trails
April 15, 2021 The Honorable Deb Haaland Secretary of the Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, NW, MS 5311 Washington, DC 20240 Re: Department of the Interior Oil and Gas Leasing Program Review Under Executive Order 14008 Dear Madam Secretary: Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments related to the Department of
Coalition Signs on To Letter Urging DOI Action to Reform Leasing Program
April 15, 2021 The Honorable Deb Haaland Secretary of the Interior 1849 C Street Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Secretary Haaland: Thank you for the opportunity to provide recommendations on the Interior Department’s review of the federal onshore oil and gas program. We wholeheartedly support this review, as the onshore program requires sweeping, top-to-bottom reform – to eliminate
Coalition Urges Senate to Confirm DOI Leadership Nominees
Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Says Experience of Beaudreau and Estenoz Will Help Advance Biden’s Ambitious Conservation and Climate Agenda WASHINGTON, DC — The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks is urging the Senate to confirm Tommy Beaudreau as Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Shannon Estenoz as Assistant Secretary
Coalition Submits Comments on DOI Fossil Fuels Program Review
April 12, 2021 The Honorable Debra Haaland Secretary of Interior U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C St. NW Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Secretary Haaland, I am writing to you on behalf of over 1,900 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), a non-profit organization composed of retired, former, and current
Coalition Urges Secretary Haaland to Protect Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments
Ahead of Haaland’s Visit to Utah’s Monuments, the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Says These Lands Need Stronger Protections. WASHINGTON, DC — Later this week, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will travel to Utah to meet with stakeholders, Tribes, and elected leaders as part of the national monuments review announced by President Biden. Ahead
Coalition Submits Comments on Draft E-Bike Study
April 5, 2021 Jonah Chiarenza Transportation Planner, Transportation Planning Division Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, U.S. DOT Subject: Comments on Draft FHWA study proposal regarding “E-bikes on Public Lands” Dear Mr. Chiarenza: I am writing to you on behalf of over 1,900 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition), a non-profit
Coalition Joins Letter Sent to Congress Regarding Onshore Oil and Gas Reform
April 1, 2021 CC: Chairmen Sanders, Yarmuth, Wyden, Neal, Manchin, and Grijalva Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McCarthy, and Minority Leader McConnell: President Biden was elected on the promise to take bold action on climate change, and he will need the support of Congress to make good on this promise. Nearly a
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 Applauds President Biden’s American Jobs Plan
WASHINGTON — During his speech in Pittsburgh, PA, President Biden outlined his economic vision for building back better with the American Jobs Plan – a path forward that will deliver on jobs, justice, and climate solutions through more than $2 trillion in investments in people and the economy. The plan invests in public lands
Park Leaders Podcast: Working with Friends Groups
Working with Friends Groups On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, Phil Francis joins Jody and Phil Gaines to discuss working with support groups. A retired superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Francis explains how friends groups can help maintain accountability among park rangers and leaders.
Coalition Signs on to Appropriations and Infrastructure Letters
March 26, 2021 Dear Members of the Environment and Public Works Committee, We, the members of the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition, write in support of robust investments for national parks in the upcoming surface transportation or larger infrastructure package. In particular, the coalition supports $400 million a year for both the national
Coalition Comments on DOI Public Forum
“We strongly agree with Secretary Haaland’s Interior Department; our nation’s federal oil and gas leasing system is in need of holistic reform,” said Phil Francis, Chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks. “It is an outdated system that threatens our climate, wildlife, clean air and water, public lands, and national parks.” President
Coalition Joins Petition to EPA On Regional Haze Guidelines
March 16, 2021 Michael S. Regan, Administrator Office of the Administrator (1101A) United States Environmental Protection Agency William Jefferson Clinton Building 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20460 Re: Regional Haze Guidance Petition for Reconsideration: Priority Issues Dear Administrator Regan: National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club, the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, Appalachian Mountain Club,
Coalition and NPCA Send Letter to Interior Regarding Concerns at Big Cypress National Preserve
March 16, 2021 Ms. Shannon Estenoz Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife and Parks US DOI, Office of the Secretary Washington, DC 20240 Mr. Shawn Benge Deputy Director, Operations Exercising the Delegated Authority of the Director, National Park Service 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240 Dear Deputy Assistant Secretary
Coalition Celebrates Deb Haaland’s Confirmation as Interior Secretary
“We applaud today’s historic confirmation of Deb Haaland as the new Secretary of the Interior. We look forward to having a public lands champion in the office and will work to support her efforts to combat the challenges facing our national parks and public lands,” said Phil Francis, Chair of the Coalition to Protect
Coalition Sends Letter Regarding Concerns over USA Hire
March 11, 2021 Ms. Shannon Estenoz Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife and Parks US DOI, Office of the Secretary Washington, DC 20240 Dear Deputy Assistant Secretary Estenoz: I am writing to you on behalf of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, a non-profit organization comprised of more than
Coalition Supports Senate Bill to Reform Fiscal Aspects of Leasing System
Wednesday, March 10, 2021 Contact: Pr***@**********te.gov (Rosen) Contact: Ka*************@*************te.Gov (Grassley) Rosen, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Fair Returns for Public Lands Act to Ensure Taxpayers Get Fair Share for Oil and Gas Leasing on Public Lands Legislation Would Reform Antiquated Law That Governs Royalties And The Leasing Of Public Land To Ensure Oil And Gas Companies Pay
Coalition Signs on to Support the Fair Return for Public Lands Act
March 9, 2021 Dear Senator: On behalf of our millions of members and supporters across the country, we the undersigned urge you to support the Fair Return for Public Lands Act, introduced by Senators Rosen and Grassley. Federal revenue-generating policies for onshore oil and gas production have not kept pace and have fallen well behind the policies of
Coalition Joins Comments on Spaceport Coastal Consistency
March 8, 2021 Mr. Doug Haymans Director Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division One Conservation Way Brunswick, GA 31520 RE: Proposed Coastal Consistency Determination For Spaceport Camden Dear Director Haymans: On behalf of the Coalition to Protect America’s Parks, Georgia Audubon, the National Parks Conservation Association, One Hundred Miles, the Satilla Riverkeeper, and Wild Cumberland,
Coalition Submits Letter on NPS Second Century Campground Strategy
March 9, 2021 Dear Acting Director Benge, On behalf of over 1,900 members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, a non-profit organization composed of retired, former, or current employees of the National Park Service (NPS), I am writing to provide the Coalition’s concerns related to the NPS Second Century Campground Strategy. Coalition
Coalition Supports Legislation to Reform Oil and Gas Leasing System
Coalition Chair Phil Francis issued the following statement in response to Senator Cortez Masto’s reintroduction of legislation that would prohibit leasing lands for drilling where there is little to no oil and gas potential. “It makes no sense to lease public lands on the doorsteps of our national parks to oil and gas companies,
Coalition Signs on to Letter Supporting an End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing
March 4, 2021 Dear Senator: On behalf of our millions of members and supporters across the country, we the undersigned organizations urge you to support the End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing Act of 2021 introduced by Senator Cortez Masto on March 4, 2021. If passed, this bill would end the practice of leasing low