The National Park Service was created in 1916 by the National Park Service Organic Act (NPSOA), and was placed under the supervision of the Department of Interior. It’s mission was to manage our national parks (and some national monuments) by conserving their scenery, natural and historic objects, and wildlife, for the enjoyment of future generations. A key provision of the NPSOA is that national parks must be managed so that they remain unimpaired—that is, visitors may not disturb or remove objects from national parks. We can’t collect rocks or fossils, shoot deer, or catch fish within our national parks, so that generations to come can experience these unique resources, just as we have.
The NPSOA has been amended twice. First, the Department of Interior was tasked with submitting a yearly list to Congress of all new areas it recommended for inclusion in the National Park System. Second, the Department of Interior was asked to submit two lists per year to Congress, one recommending areas with significant historical resources, and the other recommending areas with significant natural resources, for inclusion in the National Park System. The visionaries who created the original law and those that subsequently amended it had the foresight to understand that the more of our unique resources protected for the enjoyment of future generations, the better.
Waiving the NPSOA means that plant, animal, mineral, historic, and paleontological resources inside national parks and national monuments located in the path of wall construction are no longer protected—resources may be disturbed, damaged, or even destroyed, without consequence. The Coronado National Memorial in southern Arizona is an example of a place whose very essence would be transformed by a border wall. Not only would a wall put this park’s natural resources at risk, it would obstruct the magnificent view from the mountains into Mexico. According to the NPSOC, scenery must be conserved for future generations as well. Click here for a list of all 48 federal laws waived to expedite construction of a border wall.
Please contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives (https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members) and let them know that you oppose waiving The National Park Service Organic Act to expedite construction of a border wall. Click here if you would like to make a donation to help us fight the border wall.