Halting NPS Staff Cuts | Hike the Hill | Higher Fees for International Visitors to Parks | FEMA Reorganization
Advocacy Planning Tools: State Legislatures 2026 Session Calendar, U.S. Senate 2026 Calendar, and U.S. House of Representatives 2026 Calendar
Since January, the National Park Service (NPS) has lost more than 24 percent of its staff, and the Department of Interior has been actively working on plans to terminate an additional 2,050 employees across 89 offices, including 272 positions at NPS. The continuing resolution passed by Congress on November 11, 2025, prevents federal agencies from implementing RIFs until January 31, 2026, however, there are concerns that DOI is poised to initiate large-scale RIFs, including key NPS staff and critical personnel at DOI who support the national parks.
A bipartisan quartet are currently circulating a Dear Colleague letter in the House asking Members of Congress to sign onto a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum calling on him to “to refrain from pursuing additional staffing reductions and instead work closely with Congress and NPS staff to identify sustainable approaches that ensure safe, accessible, and well-managed parks for the millions of visitors who depend on them.”
The deadline for Members of Congress to sign is December 16, 2025.
It is important for Members of Congress to hear from tourism leaders on the importance of full NPS staffing to the visitor experience and gateway communities tourism. The contacts to sign are: For sign-on please reach out to Patrick Paolini (Patrick.Paolini@mail.house.gov) in Rep. Obernolte’s (R-CA) office, Michael DeFilippis (Michael.DeFilippis@mail.house.gov) in Rep. Hurd’s (R-CO) office, Diane Fontaine (Diana.N.Fontaine@mail.house.gov) in Rep. Matsui’s (D-CA) office or Keaton Whittaker ( (Keaton.Whittaker@mail.house.gov) in Rep. Tokuda’s (D-HI) office.
Also, be aware that the leaders of this effort are employing a Noah’s Ark strategy for this letter. They want strong bipartisan support for this effort, so they are adding signatures for a Democrat and a Republican signer. Outreach to Republican Representatives is particularly important,
The Dear Colleague letter and Letter to the Secretary of Interior are posted below.
Advocacy Opportunity: American Hiking Society and Partnership for the National Trail System opened registration for our annual Hike the Hill fly-in (March 1-5) and virtual advocacy trainings (Feb. 9-11). All interested are welcome to join. Focus will be Legacy Restoration Fund, Appropriations and Staffing (including NPS), and Transportation Reauthorization.https://americanhiking.org/advocacy/#hike-the-hill
In November, the Department of Interior announced new pricing for the America the Beautiful Act and entrance fees to the most popular national parks — specifically that international visitors would have to pay significantly more — $250 above the annual fee of $80 and an additional $100 for entrance fees. The new policy also allows for a new digital pass, which is a huge step forward for park visitation.
The new fees go into effect on January 1, 2026 but there are many outstanding questions on how these fees will be implemented. Non-U.S. residency is simple to establish for online purchases but how will that be done at parks? Will visitors be required to show proof of citizenship to enter? How will U.S. residency be established in a way that does not slow down entrance to popular parks? Most important of all, how is a policy like this implemented in a way that does not make international visitors feel unwelcome?
Condé Nast Traveler has detailed information on the new policies in The Trump Administration Is Raising National Park Fees for Foreign Visitors. The article also quotes several of our partners in the NPS coalition touting the importance of parks visiting, which is a good indicator of the success of tourism advocacy.
The Trump administration’s reworking of the American the Beautiful pass included adding President Trump’s picture to the annual pass rather than a scenic photo from a national park, which has drawn a legal challenge. The New York Times reports Lawsuit Challenges Park Passes Featuring Trump.
Efforts by the Trump administration to reorganize FEMA are influx. On Thursday, the FEMA Review Council, a task force established by the Secretary of Homeland Security to make recommendations on reducing the agency’s role in federal disaster response was expected to meet to approve its overhaul report but was abruptly canceled after CNN reported on a leaked copy of the report.
According to a CNN article, the recommended changes are aimed at streamlining operations, cutting red tape and fulfilling President Trump’s desire to shift more responsibility for disaster response and recovery onto the states. The council also suggests raising the bar for states to qualify for federal assistance, a move that could leave states footing a much larger share of the bill for major disasters and handling smaller storms entirely on their own.
The full CNN article can be read here.
Finally, I am sharing some advocacy planning tools for 2026:
National Conference of State Legislatures 2026 Legislative Session Calendar
U.S. Senate 2026 Calendar
U.S. House of Representatives 2026 Calendar
Cosign Bipartisan Letter to DOI re: National Park Service Staffing Cuts
Sending Office: Honorable Jill N. Tokuda
Sent By: Keaton.Whittaker@mail.house.gov
Cosign Bipartisan Letter to DOI re: National Park Service Staffing Cuts
Co-leads: Reps. Tokuda, Obernolte, Matsui and Hurd
Deadline for sign-on: 5:00PM EST Tuesday, December 16
Dear Colleague:
Please join us in a bipartisan letter expressing concern regarding insufficient staffing levels at the National Park Service (NPS) and opposing the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) plans for further reductions in force (RIFs).
Since the beginning of this year, NPS has lost more than 24 percent of its staff, and recent court filings indicated DOI’s plansto terminate an additional 2,050 employees across 89 offices, including 272 positions at NPS. While the continuing resolution passed by Congress on November 11, 2025, prevents federal agencies from implementing RIFs until January 31, 2026, there are concerns that DOI is poised to initiate large-scale RIFs, including key NPS staff and critical personnel at DOI who support our national parks.
America’s national parks are among our nation’s most iconic and cherished public assets. These parks serve as vital economic engines for communities across the country, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and generating billions in annual economic activity. Ensuring that the NPS has the staff and resources it needs is essential to protecting these treasured places and sustaining the communities that depend on them.
We ask you to join us in this letter calling on DOI to address staffing shortages at NPS and suspend plans for additional RIFs. The deadline to sign on is 5:00PM EST on Tuesday, December 16. Please reach out to Keaton Whittaker (keaton.whittaker@mail.house.gov) or Patrick Paolini (Patrick.Paolini@mail.house.gov) with any questions or to sign on. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jill Tokuda
Member of Congress
Jay Obernolte
Member of Congress
Doris Matsui
Member of Congress
Jeff Hurd
Member of Congress
THE HONORABLE DOUG BURGUM
Secretary of the Interior
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
Dear Mr. Secretary:
National parks are some of our country’s greatest treasures, offering recreation opportunities that are at the heart of the American experience; however, we are concerned with insufficient staffing levels within the National Park Service (NPS). Without the necessary staff and resources, essential visitor services are reduced, and the local economies that depend on park services and visitor access will suffer avoidable economic losses. To ensure that our national parks remain safe, accessible, and well-managed, we respectfully urge you to maintain appropriate staffing levels and refrain from pursuing any Reductions in Force (RIFs) for NPS employees and the Department of the Interior (DOI) personnel who support them.
Since January of 2025, NPS staffing has decreased by more than 24 percent. As a result, parks have experienced a significant decline in essential visitor services such as emergency search and rescue, educational programs, park and facility maintenance, as well as harmful economic impacts to our gateway communities. For example, at Yosemite National Park, staffing cuts combined with record-setting visitation from January to July led to a 40% increase in search and rescue efforts compared to the same period last year. At Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Montrose, Colorado, the South Rim Fire burned campsites, maintenance vehicles, and other infrastructure, which, when taken along with a one-third reduction in workforce, will impact the local economy as well as park operations such as fire remediation and safety.
Furthermore, at Joshua Tree National Park, staffing shortages have reduced fee-booth coverage and eliminated evening shifts, limiting visitor safety information, cutting needed fee revenue, and increasing the likelihood of congestion and search-and-rescue incidents. And at Haleakalā National Park, staffing shortages are delaying critical conservation work and backcountry maintenance, limiting both visitor access and protection of endangered species. Additionally, the recent 43-day government shutdown has further strained park operations, delaying essential work on fire management, invasive species, and facility repairs.
These challenges extend far beyond park boundaries. In 2023, national parks supported 415,000 jobs, generated $56 billion in visitor-related economic activity, and returned $10 in economic benefit for every $1 invested. When parks lack the staff needed to operate effectively, the visitor experience suffers and the communities that depend on park tourism face preventable and potentially severe economic losses.
Recent court filings indicated DOI plans to lay off 2,050 employees across 89 offices, including 272 positions at NPS. While the continuing resolution passed by Congress on November 11, 2025 prohibits federal agencies from initiating or implementing RIFs through January 30, 2026, we remain deeply concerned that such actions may take place when this prohibition expires.
We recognize the importance of efficiency within the federal government. However, reducing National Park Service staff, including positions in supporting offices across DOI, would only intensify the operational challenges parks already face. We respectfully encourage you to work directly with NPS career professionals, including regional directors, associate directors, and Senior Executive Service staff, to identify practical solutions to staffing constraints. Engaging with these employees and examining existing operational hurdles collaboratively is far more likely to yield meaningful improvements, cost savings, stronger resource protection, and a safe and rewarding experience for the millions of visitors who depend on a well-functioning park system.
America’s national parks are already feeling the effects of significant staffing shortages. We respectfully urge you to refrain from pursuing additional staffing reductions and instead work closely with Congress and NPS staff to identify sustainable approaches that ensure safe, accessible, and well-managed parks for the millions of visitors who depend on them.
We appreciate your attention to our concerns and look forward to working with you to ensure the long-term safety and enjoyment of our national parks.