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Keep Parks Safe:
Say No To Loaded Guns in Our National Parks
A disturbing and dangerous provision allowing individuals to openly carry rifles, shotguns, and semi-automatic weapons in national parks unless the state forbids it, has become law as part of the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act of 2009. The law will take effect in February 2010.
Sadly, the Senate, House, and President disregarded the concerns of national park rangers and former Park Service directors who want American families and wildlife to remain safe in our national parks. NPCA strongly supports the Reagan era regulation that allows firearms in parks, as long as they are unloaded and stored. This regulation will still be in effect until the new law takes effect.
We encourage you to either thank or express your dissatisfaction with your Senators and Representative, depending on whether or not they voted for the provision.
What You Can Do
Click here to see how your Senators voted.
Click here to see how your Representative voted.
You can look up and contact your Representative and Senators by entering your zip code below.
We urge you to use the button below to share this link on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media.
We also encourage you to write letters to the editor of your local paper and get the word out on blogs. Click here for our press release that can be used for background information and talking points.
Currently, our national parks are extremely safe family destinations. According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, there were only 1.65 violent crimes per 100,000 national park visitors in 2006. By comparison, that same year the national violent crime rate was estimated to be 473.5 victims per 100,000 citizens. Allowing individuals to carry loaded rifles, shotguns, and semi-automatic weapons at campfire programs and ranger led hikes will make our parks less safe for visitors and wildlife.
To catch wildlife poachers, park rangers under the new law will now have to see somebody shoot at wildlife and then find them with the carcass. Since poachers will be much more difficult to prosecute, park rangers anticipate that poaching will become even more prevalent under the new law.
More Information
- Ranger Groups and NPCA letter to the House on Coburn Rider, May 20, 2009 (PDF)
- Ranger, Conservation, and Violence Prevention Organization's letter to President Obama, May 13, 2009 (PDF)
- Senator Coburn Amendment Allowing Guns in Parks (PDF)
- Ranger Groups Release on Guns in Parks Ruling, March 20, 2009
- Memorandum Opinion for Decision to Block Loaded, Concealed Firearms, March 19, 2009 (PDF)
- Court Order Blocking Loaded, Concealed Firearms in National Parks, March 19, 2009 (PDF)
- NPCA letter to Secretary Salazar, March 10, 2009 (PDF)
- Ranger Groups Press Release on the Implementation of New Firearm Regulation, January 9, 2009
- NPCA and CNPSR Motion for Preliminary Injunction, January 2009 (PDF, 2 MB)
- NPCA and CNPSR Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief and Petition for Review of Agency Action, January 2009 (PDF, 1.5 MB)
- Notice of NPCA, CNPSR, and ANPR to sue if Endangered Species Act Violations Are Not Cured Within Sixty Days, December 2008 (PDF, 1 MB)
- Coalition of National Park Service Retirees Report on Impact of Firearm Rule, Oct 2008 (PDF, 4 MB)
- Coalition of National Park Service Retirees Letter to Interior on Report on Impact of Firearm Rule, Oct 2008 (PDF)
- NPCA letter to Kempthorne on Heller Case, April 2008 (PDF)
- Former Directors of the National Park Service Letter to Secretary Kempthorne, April 2008 (PDF)
- Ranger Groups Letter to Senate, February 2008 (PDF)
- Ranger Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police letter to Secretary Kempthorne, January 2008 (PDF)
- Senators letter to Secretary Kempthorne, February 2008 (PDF)
- Secretary Kempthorne Letter to Senators, February 2008 (PDF)
- NPCA letter to Secretary Kempthorne, January 2008 (PDF)
- Senators letter to Secretary Kempthorne, December 2007 (PDF)
- Park Service Letter Supporting Current Regulations Sent to Rep. Rahall, November 2007 (PDF)
- Park Service Letter Supporting Current Regulations Sent to Virginia Citizens Defense League, January 2007 (PDF)
In the News
Read Editorials and Op-Eds on this Issue > >
Read What Park Rangers Are Saying > >
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