House Advances Package of Bills Aimed at Eliminating Species

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands hosted a hearing on nine bills that would undermine the protection of threatened and endangered species in our national parks.

The National Park Service has an obligation under the Organic Act to “conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein.” As written, these bills would harm the agency’s ability to protect species that live in and move through national parks, illegally transfer management of park species to states, limit opportunities for critical habitat designations, and generally degrade the Park Service’s ability to carry out its mission.

Additional analysis by National Parks Conservation Association on these Congressional attacks to the Endangered Species Act is available at: https://www.npca.org/articles/1940-position-on-the-expanded-wildlife-extinction-package

Statement by Christina Hazard, Associate Director of Government Affairs for National Parks Conservation Association

“The congressional attacks on the Endangered Species Act would dismantle the bedrock law that has written a better future for national park wildlife ranging from California condors to Florida panthers. National Parks Conservation Association opposes these attacks, on behalf of the 600 plant and animal species protected under the ESA that have habitat in our national parks. Collectively, the bills would hamstring the Park Service’s ability to follow its congressionally-mandated mission to protect nature and wildlife. We must not gamble with the future of America’s wildlife and wild lands.

# # #

About National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its 1.3 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org