NPS Update: Probationary Staff Rehired, Leases Taken Off Termination List
Save the Institute for Museum and Library Service Campaign Launches and American Battlefield Protection Grants Announced
We are seeing signs that advocacy on behalf of the national parks and other public lands is having an impact. The Washington Post Travel section reported yesterday afternoon that due to recent court rulings the National Park Service (NPS) has begun to rehire the 1,000 probationary staff that were terminated or put on administrative leave. All will receive back pay. Even with these positions restored, questions remain over whether NPS will have the staff needed for the busy summer season.
Also, this week NPS began to receive notice that the decision to terminated the leases of several of visitor centers and other key buildings have been reversed. Included on the reversal list is: NPS Fairbanks Alaska visitor center, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Seattle visitor center, and the NPS Southeast Archaeological Center at Florida State University in Tallahassee. Unfortunately, the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park visitor center, the Little River Canyon National Preserve visitor Center and the headquarters for the Buffalo National River in Harrison, Arkansas remain on list. Effort continue to protect these NPS facilities and tourism leaders are encouraged to weigh in with their congressional delegation on the importance of these facilities.
On March 14, President Trump signed an executive order that would effectively dismantle the Institute for Museum and Library Services. IMLS efficiently provides critical resources to libraries and museums in all 50 states and territories on a budget that makes up only 0.0046% of the overall federal budget. Recognizing that museums are economic engines, providing jobs, driving tourism, and serving as community cornerstones, we have advocated for strong funding for the IMLS for nearly a decade. The Alliance of American Museums has put out a Save IMLS toolkit with template letters, call scripts, social media posts, and their advocacy platform. For those who would like to support your local museums and libraries without getting on yet another email list, I am attaching the template letter to Members of Congress. Please note that it does need to be personalized before sending.
On March 18, NPS announced it has awarded more than $2.2 million in Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants through the American Battlefield Protection Program to protect 155 acres of Civil War battlefields in Mississippi and Virginia and 16.2 acres at a Revolutionary War battlefield in Pennsylvania. I wanted to remind the network that we worked to expand the American Battlefield Protection Program to include Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefields and we also successfully advocated for full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which underwrites the grants. The Mississippi grants were awarded to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the Virginia grants were awarded to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Pennsylvania grant was awarded to Chadds Ford Township. I want to put this on everyone’s radar screen so as you begin to plan for America 250 activities, you are leveraging these resources. NPS has issued a press release with all the details on the battlefield grants.
Next week is the American Association of Association Executives Advocacy Fly-In and the week after is US Travel’s Destination Capitol Hill. Both events are in DC. If any of you are participating in these events and anything to make their meetings a success, please let me know.