Position on H.R. 1479 & H.R. 9159

H.R. 1479 – Chiricahua National Park Act: NPCA supports this legislation, which would redesignate Chiricahua National Monument as Chiricahua National Park. Visitors to Chiricahua National Monument experience a “wonderland of rocks,” whether they stop at viewpoints to overlook the vast fields of rock pinnacles or walk on trails that wind through these amazing formations. The monument protects beautiful forests and wildlife, and the history of the Apache and other Native American Tribes as well as the well-preserved Faraway Ranch demonstrates the many layers of history that the monument holds. It is also an important landscape within the unique Sky Island ecosystem of southeastern Arizona. Cochise County and many nearby towns and Chambers of Commerce support elevating its status to Chiricahua National Park.

H.R. 9159 – Appalachian Trail Centennial Act: NPCA has reservations about this legislation which statutorily allows for the establishment of a “Designated Operating Partner” to serve as the primary non-profit organization for each national trail and further recognizes Appalachian Trail Conservancy as the first. The national trails are administered by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the land management agencies. The federal government currently enters into cooperative agreements with States, landowners, private organizations individuals and other non-federal partners to operate, develop and maintain any portion of a national trail. Several trails have many non-profit partners. These partnerships are necessary and integral to the preservation, maintenance and management of the national trails. Therefore, we are concerned that assigning one primary non-profit partner at each national trail would elevate that partner’s management and land acquisition priorities over other non-profit partners. We encourage the sponsors of the bill to further engage non-profit partners of trails throughout the country before moving forward with this bill.