NPCA’s Writing on National Parks

• Blog Post Who Counts? A Closer Look at Parks’ Record Visitation Numbers Mar 2016 | By Nicolas Brulliard Every year, the Park Service releases its official statistics on visitation at national park sites around the country. How does the agency come up with these numbers? With vehicle multipliers, regression formulas, and other unusual procedures, the answer is anything but simple.
• Blog Post Tuzi ... What? The Origins of 12 Unusual National Park Names Mar 2016 | By Jennifer Errick Tuzigoot. Great Egg Harbor. Yosemite. Who came up with these names? What do they mean? Sometimes they come from one person, sometimes a whole culture—but the stories behind these memorable monikers reveal interesting details about these places and the people who have loved and lived in them.
• Policy Update Position on H.R. 2406, the SHARE Act Feb 2016 NPCA submitted the following position on H.R. 2406, the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act and proposed amendments prior to consideration of the bill on the House floor.
• Press Release New Dog Rule Refines Access, Protection for 2nd Most Visited National Park Feb 2016 A decade in the making, the proposed dog rule for Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) aims to balance resource protection with the many forms of recreation enjoyed at the 2nd most visited national park site.
• Press Release National Parks Group Applauds Recommendations to Expand, Greater Protect Santa Monica Mountains Feb 2016 NPCA supports the final "Rim of the Valley" proposal by the National Park Service, which could add 170,000 acres of important waterways, historic and cultural sites, and open spaces to Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
• Blog Post Visits to National Parks in 2015 Top 300 Million for the First Time Feb 2016 | By Jennifer Errick National parks saw their highest visitation ever in 2015, with more than 307 million recreational visits. This marks a nearly 5% increase from 2014.
• Blog Post No, National Parks Are Not America’s 'Best Idea' Feb 2016 | By Alan Spears Could the way some enthusiasts refer to national parks actually alienate the diverse supporters the parks need?
• Press Release President Obama Designates Three National Monuments in the California Desert Feb 2016 Protecting spectacular and unique desert lands, President Obama designated three new national monuments today: Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and our country's 410th national park site, Castle Mountains National Monument.
• Blog Post 5 Reasons to Celebrate Today’s New National Monuments in the California Desert Feb 2016 | By David Lamfrom These new parks will preserve 1.8 million acres in one of the largest and most diverse protected areas of desert lands in the world.
• Policy Update Position on H.R. 295, H.R. 1621, and H.R. 2817 Feb 2016 NPCA submitted the following positions on legislation being considered by the House Natural Resources Federal Lands Subcommittee during a hearing on February 11, 2016.
• Press Release President Proposes Large Funding Boost for National Parks Feb 2016 President's budget for fiscal year 2017 calls for significant increase in funding for the National Park Service as the agency celebrates its centennial year
• Press Release National Parks Maintenance Backlog Nears $12 Billion Feb 2016 Maintenance Needs for Trails, Visitors Centers Grows from Last Year – Congress Needs to Boost Park Funding
• Press Release Forgotten Founders: The Hidden African Ancestry of Los Angeles Feb 2016 During African American History Month, NPCA is co-sponsoring a new art exhibit, showcasing the diverse and multi-cultural founders of Los Angeles.
• Blog Post Remembering the Founder of Black History Month Feb 2016 | By Jennifer Errick The National Park Service and its partners offer ways to honor the legacy of this scholar and pioneer who changed the way we understand American history.
• Policy Update Position on H.R. 482, H.R. 894, H.R. 2880, and H.R. 3371 Feb 2016 NPCA submitted the following positions on legislation being considered by the House Committee on Natural Resources during a markup on February 2 and 3, 2016.
• Policy Update Views on S. 2012: Energy Policy Modernization Act and Several Amendments Feb 2016 NPCA submitted the following position on several potential amendments to and provisions in S. 2012, Energy Policy Modernization Act, during consideration of the bill on the Senate floor.
• Blog Post The Longest National Park Name Feb 2016 | By Nicolas Brulliard The national park with the largest acreage is the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska, but do you know which national park site has the longest name?
• Policy Update Position on the Stream Protection Rule Feb 2016 NPCA, along with the Southern Environmental Law Center, submitted written comments to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works ahead of a hearing on February 3.
• Blog Post How Can Congress Fund More Park Projects for the Next Century? Here’s One Way Feb 2016 | By Emily Douce The Centennial Challenge will leverage funding from a variety of sources to improve the experience for national park visitors.
• Press Release NPCA Statement on the BLM Natural Gas Waste Rule Jan 2016 Statement by Nick Lund, senior manager for conservation programs for National Parks Conservation Association:
• Policy Update Position on S.J. Res. 22 Jan 2016 NPCA submitted the following position to the Senate in advance of a floor vote to override the president’s veto of S.J. Res. 22.
• Press Release National Parks Conservation Association views Utah Public Lands Initiative as a Missed Opportunity Jan 2016 Representatives Rob Bishop and Jason Chaffetz released their draft legislation known as the Utah Public Lands Initiative. NPCA’s goals include protecting and conserving the larger shared landscape, while allowing for recreational opportunities, appropriate development, and robust economies. Unfortunately, the current draft does not meet such objectives.
• Press Release National Parks Group Defends Park Service’s Authority to Manage Its Waterways Jan 2016 NPCA is siding with the National Park Service as the U.S. Supreme Court takes up Sturgeon v. Frost, a lawsuit challenging the park service’s  authority to manage activities on navigable rivers within parks in Alaska.  
• Policy Update Position on S. 1024 and S. 1674 Jan 2016 NPCA, along with partners, submitted the following positions on legislation to the Senate Environment and Public Works committee in advance of a markup on January 20, 2016.
• Blog Post Porter Ranch: A Dangerous Wake-Up Call for People, Parks, and the Climate Jan 2016 | By Nicholas Lund Two federal agencies are already working to address the problem of methane leaks—why we need to push harder for better regulations.
• Press Release Yellowstone Bison Quarantine Plan Another Step Toward Protecting an American Icon Jan 2016 Advancing efforts to write a better future for iconic Yellowstone bison, the National Park Service released a new, draft environmental assessment, focused on conserving the species.
• Press Release Congress Again Moves to Dismantle Clean Water Protections for Parks Jan 2016 House of Representatives votes for two bills that undo efforts to strengthen clean water protections
• Policy Update Position on H.R. 1644 and S.J.Res. 22 Jan 2016 NPCA submitted the following positions on legislation to the House of Representatives ahead of anticipated floor votes.
• Press Release National Parks Group Responds to Release of Draft Long Term Experimental Management Plan for Glen Canyon Dam Jan 2016 Nearly 20 years in the making, the Department of Interior released its draft Glen Canyon Dam Long-Term Experimental and Management Plan, (LTEMP) which will impact Grand Canyon National Park.
• Press Release Groups Support Stronger Rules for Oil Drilling in National Parks Jan 2016 Long-Overdue Rules Govern Development of Privately-Held Mineral Rights beneath 42 National Park Units

Pagination