NPCA shared the following positions with members of the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources ahead of a business meeting scheduled for July 29, 2026.
S. 2498 - National Park System Long-Term Lease Investment Act: NPCA opposes this bill as introduced which allows the NPS Director, under the authority of the Secretary of the Interior, to extend some leases without opening the lease to bidding by other companies and without a timeframe of extension. NPS leases over 340 structures in parks throughout the National Park System for commercial, residential and non-profit uses that are consistent with the park’s purpose. Lease holders and parameters are determined through a competitive process to ensure businesses provide the best return on investment, great services for the public and strong conservation outcomes for the resources. NPCA would support amendments to this legislation that are consistent with those included in the House companion, H.R. 4931, as passed out of the House Committee on Natural Resources.
S. 4399 - Geese House Site Conveyance Act: The Geese House site is a geological feature of historical and cultural importance to Athabaskan people of Interior Alaska. NPCA believes it is appropriate for Doyon Corporation to take possession of that area to protect and manage the site. However, conveying land out of the National Park System is not a decision that should be taken lightly. We encourage the committee to thoroughly consider the acreage number to ensure it balances the future protection of the Geese House site and the ongoing management and protection of Denali National Park and Preserve, and to very carefully define limits on use to prevent this conveyance from being used as a precedent to transfer other lands out of the National Park System to other entities for commercial gain. For example, while this bill prohibits mining activities on the conveyed land, it does not make specific mention of additional extractive or damaging uses. The committee also has multiple bills in their jurisdiction that would further conservation and historic preservation across the park system and we encourage the committee to advance those bills as well.
