One of the goals of NASPD is to increase our influence on the national level to assist in supporting funding such as LWCF and policy which may impact our members. A group of Park Directors meet regularly with an advocacy group we work with, Brumidi Group, represented by Madeline Wade. If you are a Park Director interested in joining these monthly meetings please let Paul McCormack know.
New NPS Director:
President Trump nominated Scott Socha to serve as Director of National Park Service (NPS). Sochia is the President of the Delaware North’s parks and resorts division, which provides services like food and lodging to national parks. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will be responsible for vetting Socha, who will need approval by the Committee and, ultimately, the full Senate. It is unclear when the initial hearing will be scheduled at this point. The position, which is currently led by Jessica Bowron as Acting Director, is important given some of the challenges facing NPS, including America’s 250th Anniversary.
FY26 Funding:
Early in January, Congress passed the FY26 appropriations bill including funding for Department of Interior and U.S. Forest Service. Our LWCF programs fared well with Stateside at $175M, ORLP at $125M, and State Conservation Grants at $14.5M. States will continue to receive up to 7% of stateside funds for administrative support.
NASPD and NASORLO are continuing to work with Interior to move Stateside funds to the states faster. We are optimistic that this process can begin with the FY26 funds.
FY27 Funding:
As we look to Fiscal Year 2027, NASPD has been working with partners, including NASORLO, to determine our top-line budget requests. We will be asking for $200M in funding for the LWCF Stateside program and $130M for the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program. Please reach out if there are other programs you would like us to consider in our asks to Congress.
We are expecting the President’s Budget to be released in March, which will kickstart appropriations committee hearings with department heads. When it is appropriate, NASPD will be submitting questions for Members of Congress to ask to raise awareness and support for state parks.
Reservation System:
Several national parks have removed their timed entry reservations. You can read more about this here. We are closely monitoring to better understand the implication on state park systems.
Meetings with Department of Interior:
NASPD has been meeting consistently with Department of Interior political appointees to discuss the importance of state parks and our collaboration with the national park system. In March, NASPD’s CEO & President Paul McCormack and NASORLO’s Executive Director Brian Stith traveled to DC to meet with DOI Assistant Secretary Kevin Lilly and members of the Office of Management and Budget and Domestic Policy Council. Please reach out if there are issues you would like them to raise.
You can see more about outdoor recreation news in the Brumidi Group outdoor report here: Outdoor Report
