NPCA submitted the following positions to members of the House Committee on Natural Resources ahead of a markup scheduled for January 22, 2026.
H.R. 5729 - North Rim Restoration Act of 2025: NPCA supports this legislation to provide emergency authority to the National Park Service to efficiently rebuild facilities after the devastating Dragon Bravo Fire, which caused permanent damage to the Grand Canyon Lodge and surrounding buildings, including historic cabins, as well as other structures on the North Rim of the park. Rebuilding must be done in a way to preserve as much of the existing structures and salvageable materials as possible while taking care to match the historical nature in new construction and that it is done in an environmentally responsible manner.
H.R. 6365 - Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act: NPCA opposes the original text of this legislation, which would require the Secretary of the Interior to allow an exit road from the Wintergreen Resort to be built across a wooded section of the Blue Ridge Parkway known for its diversity of plants and animals. The Blue Ridge Parkway, the most visited national park in the country, is composed of stunning vistas and rolling mountains with a winding road that links Shenandoah National Park with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The parkway generates more than $1.2B annually in economic benefit. Protection of views is critical to the visitor experience and has been protected since 1934 when the Parkway was established. Past efforts to build a road through this national park have been rejected and the National Park Service previously outlined a process where should an emergency arise, an emergency gate could be opened allowing residents to leave Wintergreen onto the Parkway. This proposal was rejected by Wintergreen developers.
NPCA would support amendments to this legislation that address the testimony provided by the Department of the Interior during the Federal Lands subcommittee hearing on December 11, 2025. Issuance of the right-of-way should be conditioned on the completion of key analyses, including the evaluation of non-Federal alternatives, the review of fire-behavior risks, and compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act. These requirements are consistent with existing NPS authorities and ensure that the selected route minimizes impacts on Parkway resources, cultural landscapes, and visitor experience. Adding these considerations would alleviate our primary concerns with this bill.
