ARIZONA – Today the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) heard from clean air advocates calling for strengthened pollution reduction measures to restore clean skies in Arizona’s national parks like Grand Canyon, Saguaro, and Petrified Forest National Parks, and to protect vulnerable communities that often live in close proximity to polluting facilities that degrade air quality and exacerbate the climate crisis.
The National Park Service partially re-opened Yellowstone National Park today June 22 after catastrophic floods washed out roads and bridges last week, cutting off access to the park and forcing evacuations from the park and gateway communities in the area. A combination of snow melt and higher than normal rainfall caused the flood conditions, which were the largest in Yellowstone’s history. Such extreme weather conditions are being exacerbated by the effects of climate change.
The Biden administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notified conservation groups that it will defend the Trump administration’s decision to let Utah’s massive coal plants pollute 11 national parks and 14 wilderness areas in violation of the Regional Haze Rule, established by the Clean Air Act.
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.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff today announced the addition of 16 new sites to the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program. The announcement marks the end of National Parks Week this year.
HARRISBURG, PA -- Responding to robust public input, the National Park Service announced plans to make the park experience more inclusive and welcoming for all visitors through its final visitor use management plan for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River. The plan will allow for free entry, enhance trails, expand picnicking areas, and improve accessibility for those with disabilities.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act. The historic bill permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund, guaranteeing $900 million annually for the improvement of our parks. It also provides $9.5 billion over five years to address the nearly $12 billion backlog of maintenance projects across national parks and public lands.
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz.— The U.S. Supreme Court today declined to hear the mining industry’s challenge to the 20-year ban on new uranium mining near the Grand Canyon.
GRAND CANYON, AZ – Emmy-nominated actress Yvonne Strahovski (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) stars in a new video out today calling for protection of the Grand Canyon from toxic uranium mining. The actress recently joined a Sierra Club outing to the Grand Canyon region with her husband, actor Tim Loden, to experience the wonder of Arizona’s immense national park and to see first-hand the need to permanently protect it.
Last night, the Trump Administration approved a $2.5 billion energy project near Joshua Tree National Park. The Eagle Crest Energy Company’s 1,300 megawatt hydropower project would drain billions of gallons of water from the desert aquifer and harm local desert species.
The Department of the Interior has withdrawn plans to massively increase fees for visitors to U.S. national parks, instead proposing modest increases. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke had previously proposed to increase fees to as much as $70 at many popular national parks. Polling by the Outdoors Alliance for Kids found that the proposed hikes were highly unpopular and would prevent many families from visiting.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Groups will gather in front of the Department of the Interior building tomorrow to deliver a message of thankfulness for America’s national parks and a call for Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to abandon plans for a rate hike that could prevent people from continuing to enjoy them. The event takes place the same day as the annual White House turkey pardon.