Ian Brickey: (202) 675-6270, ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the Senate confirmed Charles F. Sams III to serve as the nineteenth permanent director of the National Park Service. Sams will be the first Indigenous American to lead NPS in its history.
Sams most recently served as a council member to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, a position he was appointed to by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. Sams also has extensive experience working with Tribal Nations throughout the Pacific Northwest.
NPS had not had a permanent director since the retirement of Jonathan Jarvis in 2017. David Vela was nominated to the post in 2019, but ultimately withdrew his name from consideration.
In response to the confirmation, Athan Manuel, Director of Sierra Club's Lands Protection Program, released the following statement:
"This is a historic day for the National Park Service. For more than four years, NPS has lacked the permanent leadership needed to steward public lands and waters. This confirmation comes just in time, as public lands and waters play a key role in taking on the overlapping challenges of the climate crisis, biodiversity crisis, and nature equity crisis. We congratulate Mr. Sams and look forward to working with him.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.