NPCA submitted the following positions to members of the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands ahead of a hearing scheduled for September 2, 2026.
H.R. 642 - Myakka Wild and Scenic River Act: NPCA supports this legislation, which would designate the Myakka River as a part of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. This will help bolster conservation and recognition of an important ecosystem with direct connectivity to the Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area. For decades, NPCA has championed conservation of the Greater Everglades ecosystem and Florida’s estuaries and recognizes that advancing protections for upstream waters and key estuaries benefits the broader ecosystem and endangered species including Florida manatees.
H.R. 6788 - Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act: NPCA opposes this legislation, which releases Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) in Montana. 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.
H.R. 9269 - Renewing the African American Civil Rights Network Act: NPCA supports this legislation to extend the authorization period for the African American Civil Rights Network (AACRN) which was established after a 2008 report issued by the National Park Service (NPS) found that the agency should play a role in assisting the public with the documentation, interpretation, and preservation of civil rights history in the United States. Funding provided by AACRN supports the development of National Historic Landmark and Register nominations, oral history projects, the digitization of archival materials, and the launching and completion of cemetery and archeological surveys and studies.
H.R. 10128 - To codify Secretary’s Order 3434 of the Department of the Interior: NPCA opposes codification of Secretarial Order 3434: Strengthening Coordination with Gateway Communities absent the staff and resources necessary for NPS to effectively implement its requirements. Since January 2025, NPS has lost nearly 25% of its workforce, leaving remaining employees to perform multiple duties to maintain visitor services and protect the natural and cultural resources these parks were established to protect. NPCA strongly supports meaningful engagement with gateway communities, Tribes and other local partners, and recognizes the importance of maintaining collaborative and transparent processes that strengthen these relationships. However, codifying the Order at a time of severe staffing shortages would impose additional administrative and reporting obligations on an already overstretched workforce. Requiring parks to designate a Gateway Community Coordinator as a collateral duty, report performance metrics and incorporate these responsibilities into employee evaluations would divert limited staff time and resources away from essential visitor services, resource protection and park operations. Congress should first ensure that the National Park Service has the workforce capacity necessary to meet its existing responsibilities before imposing new statutory requirements.
