“When taken together, the cumulative impact of these actions and orders on our national parks and park staff could be devastating and long-lasting." - Theresa Pierno, NPCA's President and CEO
Washington, DC – Below is a statement by Theresa Pierno, President and CEO for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), responding to President Trump’s recent memo rescinding an order freezing federal grants. For the past two days, this order sparked uncertainty and confusion across government agencies and organizations across the country that rely on these federal funds. That uncertainty still exists with staffing including the National Park Service.
Statement by Theresa Pierno, President and CEO for NPCA:
“While we are relieved to hear that the Trump administration rescinded its freeze on federal grants, which impacted numerous programs within the National Park Service including our National Heritage Area program, the future of these programs and thousands of park staff remains uncertain.
“It’s been a little over a week since the new administration started, yet dozens of executive orders and administrative actions have taken a toll on the Park Service. Jobs have been rescinded. Buyouts are being offered. Park staff across the country are rightfully afraid about their future and the future of our parks.
“When taken together, the cumulative impact of these actions and orders on our national parks and park staff could be devastating and long-lasting. Our parks already have thousands fewer staff than they did a decade ago, and these actions risk further straining an already overwhelmed Park Service and impacting millions of visitors and local communities.
“In the near term, the hiring freeze means our national parks will struggle with insufficient staffing as parks across the country need to begin hiring critical seasonal staff for spring break and summer. Ranger-led programs, resource protection, maintenance, trash pickup and visitor needs could be compromised. In the long term, buyouts could lead to a devastating loss of expertise and experience. And when national parks struggle, gateway communities and economies feel the effects too.
“Americans love our national parks and want to see them protected. But to do that, we must also protect the people who care for these places. We can’t expect our national parks to meet their mission and safely welcome millions of visitors without adequate staff and resources. National parks, visitors and the people who dedicate their careers to protecting our most treasured places deserve better.”
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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.6 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.