NPCA submitted the following position to members of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands ahead of a hearing scheduled for February 12, 2026.
S. 1497 - Cerro de la Olla Wilderness Establishment Act: NPCA supports this legislation along with the Taos Pueblo Tribe, members of the traditional local Hispano community and many others. Cerro de la Olla is an exceptional tract of land with unique, lush, forested wildlife habitat rising out of sage plateau in the middle of Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. It is ancestral Taos Pueblo land and an important part of Hispano land grant history and absolutely deserving of formal wilderness designation to permanently protect its many special qualities, resources and deep cultural history.
S. 2968 - Outdoor Americans with Disabilities Act: NPCA opposes this legislation, which would prioritize motorized recreation on public lands over resource protection. Federal land managers are required to make informed decisions to determine where motorized vehicles will not damage natural and cultural resources in national parks and other public lands. The federal government should use modern standards to decide road networks on public lands to ensure we protect wildlife habitat, rivers, creeks and forests among other resources. Instead, this legislation creates requirements that will result in more motorized routes on public land, including national parks, regardless of whether those routes enhance the visitor experience or harm the cultural and natural resources these landscapes have been set aside to protect. NPCA would appreciate the opportunity to work with the committee and disability advocates to develop a bill that addresses the relevant needs and opportunities while maintaining park protections.
S. 3082 - American Shores Protection Act: NPCA supports this legislation, which would prohibit oil and natural gas exploration, development and production in designated areas of the Outer Continental Shelf off the coasts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The bill will help safeguard vitally important marine and coastal resources, along with the local economies that depend on healthy waters and thriving marine wildlife. From Canaveral National Seashore to Fort Sumter National Monument, each of these states is home to vibrant coastal national park sites whose protection will be strengthened by preventing offshore drilling in adjacent waters.
S. 3527 - Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act: NPCA opposes this legislation, which releases Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) in Montana but does not include any kind of conservation measures for other landscapes. The explicit removal of land protections for these WSAs undermines the conservation legacy of public lands and puts them at risk of development. This bill would set a dangerous precedent that could be used to remove protections for WSAs in areas that are vital to the integrity of national park ecosystems. WSAs are critical conservation tools that offer significant biodiversity and watershed benefits to the larger landscapes they inhabit.
Lastly, Congress plays such an important role in reviewing expert analysis to determine where transferring federal lands is needed and appropriate. Federal public lands are cornerstones of American culture, creating shared experiences and lasting memories for hundreds of millions of people every year. NPCA urges the committee to look closely at legislation such as S. 3004, the Upper Price River Watershed Project Act, which would convey 125 acres of federal land to the town of Price, Utah, without public input, environmental or cultural resources reviews, or revisionary protections. Congressional analysis of this type of legislation must continue to consider public comments and ongoing resource protection for generations to come.
