Sunset on Half Dome in Yosemite National Park Sierra Sun Times file photo
Congress Should Reject These Deep Cuts To National Park Service
Related: National Parks Conservation Association: President Trump’s 2027 Budget Proposal Slashes National Park Service Funding by Over 25% Amid Ongoing Attacks on National Parks
April 5, 2026 - On Friday, the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks released the following:
Today, the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, an organization made up of more than 5,000 members including current, former, and retired employees and volunteers of the National Park Service, panned President Trump’s FY2027 budget.
Statement by Emily Thompson, Executive Director, Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks:
“Our parks are in crisis. They are understaffed and under-resourced. And the budget proposed today by the president will make that crisis far worse. The president’s budget calls for cutting the National Park Service budget by more than $870 million while diverting critical resources from parks – including over $730 million in funding for park operations. The president’s budget also seeks to undercut Department of Interior projects focused on conservation, clean energy, research and wildlife protections.
“And if the president’s budget wasn’t bad enough, it comes on top of an announcement yesterday from Secretary Burgum of a new effort to force more critical staff to leave the National Park Service.
“Taken together, the actions taken by the Administration gravely endanger the National Park Service’s ability to fulfill its mission, keep parks and operate them safely.
“Congress must reject this budget and fully fund our National Parks.”
The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks represents over 5,000 current, former, and retired employees and volunteers of the National Park Service, with over 50,000 collective years of stewardship of America’s most precious natural and cultural resources. Recognized as the Voices of Experience, the Coalition educates, speaks, and acts for the preservation and protection of the National Park System, and mission-related programs of the National Park Service. More information can be found at https://protectnps.org
Source: Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks