    [Senate Hearing 117-475]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                            S. Hrg. 117-475

                              PENDING LEGISLATION

    =======================================================================

                                    HEARING

                                   BEFORE THE

                                SUBCOMMITTEE ON
                                 NATIONAL PARKS

                                     OF THE

                                  COMMITTEE ON
                          ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
                              UNITED STATES SENATE

                        ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 SECOND SESSION

                                       ON

    		S. J. Res. 57             S. 4168
    		S. 305                    S. 4222
    		S. 1211                   S. 4371
    		S. 3447                   S. 4377/H.R. 4380
    		S. 3579                   S. 4464/H.R. 1908
    		S. 3873                   S. 4693
    		S. 4122                   S. 4784

                                   __________

                               SEPTEMBER 21, 2022
                                   __________

                      [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                           Printed for the use of the
                   Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

            Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov

                                   __________

                        U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

    48-573                    WASHINGTON : 2024

                   COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES

                    JOE MANCHIN III, West Virginia, Chairman
    RON WYDEN, Oregon                    JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming
    MARIA CANTWELL, Washington           JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho
    BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont             MIKE LEE, Utah
    MARTIN HEINRICH, New Mexico          STEVE DAINES, Montana
    MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii              LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska
    ANGUS S. KING, JR., Maine            JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota
    CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO, Nevada       JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma
    MARK KELLY, Arizona                  BILL CASSIDY, Louisiana
    JOHN W. HICKENLOOPER, Colorado       CINDY HYDE-SMITH, Mississippi
                                         ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas
                                     ------

                         Subcommittee on National Parks

                          ANGUS S. KING, JR., Chairman

    BERNARD SANDERS                      STEVE DAINES
    MARTIN HEINRICH                      MIKE LEE
    MAZIE K. HIRONO                      LISA MURKOWSKI
    MARK KELLY                           JOHN HOEVEN
                                         JAMES LANKFORD

                          Renae Black, Staff Director
                          Sam E. Fowler, Chief Counsel
                         David Brooks, General Counsel
                     Charlotte Bellotte, Research Assistant
                 Richard M. Russell, Republican Staff Director
                  Matthew H. Leggett, Republican Chief Counsel
            John Tanner, Republican Deputy Staff Director for Lands

                                C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------

                               OPENING STATEMENTS

                                                                       Page
    King, Jr., Hon. Angus S., Subcommittee Chairman and a U.S.
      Senator from Maine.............................................     1
    Daines, Hon. Steve, Subcommittee Ranking Member and a U.S.
      Senator from Montana...........................................     2
    Hirono, Hon. Mazie K., a U.S. Senator from Hawaii................     4

                                   WITNESSES

    Padilla, Hon. Alex, a U.S. Senator from California...............     5
    Caldwell, Michael A., Associate Director, Park Planning,
      Facilities, and Lands, National Park Service, U.S. Department
      of the Interior................................................     7
    Shafroth, Will, President and CEO, National Park Foundation......    34
    Richardson, Steven, Vice President, Friends of Katahdin Woods and
      Waters.........................................................    40

              ALPHABETICAL LISTING AND APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED

    A Cure for Kyler:
        Letter for the Record........................................    91
    African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, North Eastern Episcopal
      District:
        Letter for the Record........................................    60
    Airbnb, Inc.:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   113
    Alabama State Missionary Baptist Convention:
        Letter for the Record........................................    59
    American Baptist General Convention of Texas:
        Letter for the Record........................................    58
    American Discovery Trail Society:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   124
        Statement for the Record in response to National Park Service
          testimony on S. 4693.......................................   130
    Amigos de Guadalupe Center for Justice and Empowerment:
        Letter for the Record........................................   116
    Appalachian Trail Conservancy:
        Letter for the Record........................................   133
    Bahary, Susan:
        Statement for the Record.....................................    92
    Baptist General State Convention of Illinois:
        Letter for the Record........................................    74
    Blackburn, Hon. Marsha:
        Letter for the Record........................................    93
    Blumenthal, Hon. Richard:
        Letter for the Record........................................    94
    Brandon, Theresa M.:
        Statement for the Record.....................................    97
    Caldwell, Michael A.:
        Opening Statement............................................     7
        Written Testimony............................................     9
        Responses to Questions for the Record........................    55
    California Catholic Conference:
        Letter for the Record........................................   119
    California League of United Latin American Citizens:
        Letter for the Record........................................   121
    California State Baptist Convention, Inc.:
        Letter for the Record........................................    63
    Canine Companions for Independence:
        Letter for the Record........................................    95
    Christian Methodist Episcopal Church College of Bishops:
        Letter for the Record........................................    65
    Church of God in Christ, Inc.:
        Letter for the Record........................................    61
    Connecticut State Missionary Baptist Convention:
        Letter for the Record........................................    67
    Conservation Resources:
        Letter for the Record........................................   159
    Coons, Hon. Christopher A. and Hon. John Boozman:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   106
    Coons, Hon. Christopher A. et al.:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   137
    Daines, Hon. Steve:
        Opening Statement............................................     2
    Devine, Rev. Carol:
        Letter for the Record........................................    71
    Duckworth, Hon. Tammy and Hon. Richard J. Durbin:
        Letter for the Record........................................    68
    East Branch Sno-Rivers and ATV, Inc.:
        Letter for the Record........................................   146
    East Millnocket, ME (Town of):
        Letter for the Record........................................   148
    Emmanuel Temple Church of God in Christ:
        Letter for the Record........................................    66
    Etienne, Philippe, Ambassador of France to the United States:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   108
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
        Letter for the Record........................................    70
    Florida Council of Churches:
        Letter for the Record........................................    88
    GreenFaith:
        Letter for the Record........................................    72
    Hirono, Hon. Mazie K.:
        Opening Statement............................................     4
    King, Jr., Hon. Angus S.:
        Opening Statement............................................     1
    La Union del Pueblo Entero:
        Letter for the Record........................................   122
    Maine Professional Guides Association:
        Letter for the Record........................................   150
    Masjid Muhammad, Inc.:
        Letter for the Record........................................    77
    Mid-West Episcopal District:
        Letter for the Record........................................    76
    Military Women's Memorial:
        Letter for the Record........................................    96
    Mills, Hon. Janet, Governor of Maine:
        Letter for the Record........................................   151
    Mitchell, Anne:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   152
    National Black Presbyterian Caucus:
        Letter for the Record........................................    62
    National Parks Conservation Association:
        Letter for the Record........................................   160
    National Parks Second Century Action Coalition:
        Letter for the Record........................................   111
    National Religious Partnership for the Environment:
        Letter for the Record........................................    79
    North Carolina Council of Churches:
        Letter for the Record........................................    78
    Northern Timber Cruisers:
        Letter for the Record........................................   154
    Padilla, Hon. Alex:
        Opening Statement............................................     5
    Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention, Inc.:
        Letter for the Record........................................    81
    Plaskett, Hon. Stacey E.:
        Letter for the Record........................................   114
    Polanin, Joseph:
        Letter for the Record........................................   102
    Professional Logging Contractors of Maine:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   140
    Progressive Missionary and Educational Baptist State Convention
      of Florida, Inc.:
        Letter for the Record........................................    82
    Richardson, Steven:
        Opening Statement............................................    40
        Written Testimony............................................    43
    Salvador E. Alvarez Institute for Non-Violence:
        Letter for the Record........................................   123
    Search Dog Foundation:
        Letter for the Record........................................   101
    Shafroth, Will:
        Opening Statement............................................    34
        Written Testimony............................................    36
        Questions for the Record.....................................    57
    Sierra Club:
        Statement for the Record.....................................    83
    Sisters of Mercy of the Americas:
        Letter for the Record........................................    85
    Springfield Branch NAACP:
        Letter for the Record........................................    86
    Texas State Missionary Baptist Convention, Inc.:
        Letter for the Record........................................    89
    United Baptist Missionary Convention:
        Letter for the Record........................................    75
    United Farm Workers:
        Letter for the Record........................................   120
    United States Police Canine Association:
        Letter for the Record........................................   103
    United States War Dogs Association:
        Letter for the Record........................................   104
    Wagner Forest Management, LTD.:
        Letter for the Record........................................   156
    Western States Mounted Officers Association:
        Letter for the Record........................................   105
    (The) Wilderness Society:
        Statement for the Record.....................................   162
    Wisconsin General Baptist State Convention:
        Letter for the Record........................................    90

    ----------
    The text for each of the bills addressed in this hearing can be found
    on the Committee's website at: https://www.energy.senate.gov/hearings/
    2022/9/u-s-senate-committee-on-energy-and-natural-resources-
    subcommittee-on-national-parks-hearing-on-pending-legislation

                              PENDING LEGISLATION

                                  ----------

                         WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2022

                                   U.S. Senate,
                        Subcommittee on National Parks,
                     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:36 a.m. in
    Room SD-366, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Angus S.
    King, Jr., Chairman of the Subcommittee, presiding.

             OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. ANGUS S. KING, JR.,
                        U.S. SENATOR FROM MAINE

        Senator King. Good morning and welcome to today's
    legislative hearing to consider 14 bills related to a variety
    of national park issues. On today's agenda we will hear about
    bills to establish new units in the National Park System,
    including the Springfield Race Riot National Monument. We will
    also consider legislation to remove ``Robert E. Lee Memorial''
    from the name of the Arlington House at Arlington National
    Cemetery. This legislation was introduced by Senator Tim Kaine
    and was partially inspired by a request from the descendants of
    General Lee and those who were enslaved at the Arlington House.
    We will also discuss the reauthorization and expansion of the
    National Park Foundation, an important partner of our national
    parks that leverages private funds to support the maintenance,
    restoration, and completion of signature projects at national
    parks across the country. I was proud to join Senators Portman
    and Daines to introduce this bill, and I look forward to
    hearing testimony on it today.
        I was also proud to introduce the Senate companion to a
    House bill introduced by our colleague, Congresswoman Stacey
    Plaskett, of the U.S. Virgin Islands. This bill would establish
    the St. Croix National Heritage Area on the Island of St.
    Croix. I think it is important for us to work together to
    ensure the voices of our citizens in the territories are also
    heard. Finally, I am looking forward to hearing testimony on S.
    4784, the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Access
    Act, which I introduced last month with my colleague, Senator
    Collins. This bill will allow specific parcels to be added to
    the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument from willing
    donors or sellers, improving access to the monument from the
    south and the Millinocket region. This new access will make it
    easier for visitors to enter the monument and will help towns
    like Millinocket and East Millinocket capture some of the
    economic opportunities from those visitors. Visitors will
    benefit because many services they are looking for--
    restaurants, hotels, retail shops and more--already exist in
    the south and are not as readily available in the north, where
    you currently enter the monument.
        A couple of things I would like to emphasize about this
    legislation--this bill expressly prohibits the use of eminent
    domain. I want to repeat that. The bill expressly prohibits the
    use of eminent domain. Nothing is taken away, only given. That
    means land will only be added to the monument if willing
    landowners sell or donate their land. Additionally, we have
    included language to explicitly protect the continued access
    for many important uses, including snowmobiling, hunting,
    fishing, and foraging for fiddleheads. I believe this is
    probably the first piece of federal legislation to mention
    fiddleheads. You probably don't even know what fiddleheads are,
    Mr. Daines.
        Senator Daines. I have never foraged for a fiddlehead.
        [Laughter.]
        Senator King. Well, come to Maine and we will teach you.
        Since I put out this bill, I have heard from groups that
    have additional concerns we want to address, specifically, the
    use of ATVs and logging. Local ATV clubs have been working for
    years to build a connector trail that crosses one of the
    parcels that is covered by the legislation. My intention is for
    this bill to maintain existing uses and access, and when we
    consider the bill in markup, I will make sure language is
    included to protect ATV access to this trail. I have also heard
    concerns about making sure that logging trucks can still travel
    safely and efficiently through these parcels. This is important
    because as we grow the recreation economy, we must also make
    sure--make sure--that the traditional forest product sector
    continues to function unimpeded and continue to promote a more
    diversified forest product sector in the region. Currently,
    logging trucks travel through the monument, and the Park
    Service has worked with stakeholders in the region to make sure
    there is appropriate signage, and on the website it says,
    ``logging trucks always have the right of way.'' I am confident
    we can make clarifications and amendments that will fully
    retain current access while improving safety and supporting the
    forest economy.
        For today's hearing, I will first recognize Vice Chair
    Daines for his opening statement. Following his remarks, I will
    recognize members of the Committee who wish to make a statement
    about their bills on the agenda, followed by any members not on
    the Committee seeking to make a statement. After that, I will
    introduce our witnesses before we move to questions.
    Additionally, without objections, all members may submit
    letters of support or opposition or any additional materials
    regarding matters on today's agenda.
         And now, Vice Chair Daines, you are recognized for your
    opening statement.

                OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. STEVE DAINES,
                       U.S. SENATOR FROM MONTANA

        Senator Daines. Chairman King, thank you.
        Today's legislative hearing focuses on 14 bills, many of
    which are parochial and bipartisan, such as Senate bill 3447,
    to create the National Service Animals Memorial, and Senate
    bill 4377, to designate the El Paso Community Garden National
    Memorial. I look forward to hearing from my colleagues and the
    witnesses about each of these projects.
        Some of the bills have a larger impact, such as Senate bill
    4693, to designate the American Discovery Trail, which spans 16
    states from Delaware to California and creates a new Discovery
    Trail designation administered by the Department of the
    Interior. We do look forward to hearing more about the local
    support behind this proposal and the challenges around the
    National Park Service's administering this new designation.
        On today's agenda, we also have Senate bill 4168, the
    National Park Foundation Reauthorization Act. This is a very
    important bill. It has strong bipartisan support, including
    from the Chairman, as well as myself. Senate bill 4168
    reauthorizes the National Park Foundation through Fiscal Year
    2030 and increases the authorization from $5 million to $15
    million per year. The National Park Foundation was created in
    1967 to be the official non-profit partner of the National Park
    Service. The foundation exists to raise funds for the National
    Park Service and provide funding for programs and projects that
    otherwise may not be available. In fact, over the past few
    years, the foundation has exceeded its goals of raising over
    $100 million per year for parks around the country. The
    foundation has used those funds to support projects across the
    United States. In fact, in Montana, the National Park
    Foundation invested one and a half million dollars at the
    Little Bighorn Battlefield to replace an aging visitor center.
    The foundation also invested $2 million to modernize the north
    entrance of Yellowstone National Park, including a new entrance
    station and reconstruction of the road between the historic
    Roosevelt Arch. The investments made by the National Park
    Foundation have lasting impacts on the parks, the visitor
    experience, and the day-to-day lives of the employees. It is
    critical that we reauthorize the foundation so they can
    continue to carry out a very important mission to protect and
    enhance our national parks and gateway communities.
        I would also like to briefly discuss what is happening in
    Yellowstone National Park and the local gateway communities
    because I believe it has a direct impact on both the mission of
    the National Park Foundation as well as the National Park
    Service. The tragic flooding that occurred on the Yellowstone
    River back in June has devastated the northern portion of the
    Park and cut off the Gardiner and Cooke City communities from
    the tourism and economic impact of the Park. I sincerely want
    to thank all of the outstanding work the Park Service and the
    National Park Foundation, what they have done over the last
    couple of months, but there is a lot of work to do in this
    recovery process from the flood. Superintendent Cam Sholly of
    Yellowstone National Park has been working around the clock to
    critically provide needed access and has been doing a
    phenomenal job--really, hats off to that team at Yellowstone
    National Park. We all need to work together to ensure the park
    can rebuild the necessary infrastructure and the gateway
    communities have the resources they need to continue serving
    visitors and local community members. I will tell you, after
    the devastation occurred, I had a chance to see that from the
    air a couple different times. I was taking videos and pictures
    from this camera. I was actually texting them to Senator King
    so he could stay in the loop and could see the devastation that
    I was seeing firsthand from the air.
        With that, Mr. Chairman, I turn it back over to you and I
    look forward to a robust discussion and testimony from our
    witnesses.
        Senator King. Thank you, Senator Daines.
        I want to welcome Senator Padilla to the table. Senator,
    our plan is to have a statement from Senator Hirono, and then
    yourself, about the bill that you are supporting.
        Senator Hirono.

              OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MAZIE K. HIRONO,
                        U.S. SENATOR FROM HAWAII

        Senator Hirono. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member
    Daines.
        Mr. Chairman, I believe you and I are the only two members
    on the Subcommittee who have lifetime passes to our national
    parks. So you and I very much know the importance of our
    national parks and the work of the National Park Service.
        Senator King. It is nice that you did not mention the word
    senior.
        [Laughter.]
        Senator Hirono. I specifically left that out. We know how
    mature you and I are so we don't need to remind people. So
    thank you.
        I would like to briefly discuss the importance of S. 4464,
    the Kaena Point National Heritage Area Act. The National Park
    Service defines national heritage areas as places where
    historic, cultural, and natural resources combine to form
    cohesive, nationally important landscapes. Since 1984, there
    have been 55 national heritage areas established across the
    country, none of which are in Hawaii. This bill seeks to change
    that by requiring the Secretary of the Interior to study the
    suitability and feasibility of designating Kaena Point as a
    national heritage area. Kaena Point is located on the western
    most tip of Oahu and is considered by Native Hawaiians to be
    one of the most sacred landscapes on the island. It is home to
    numerous cultural, historical, and archeological sites as well
    as natural resources, making it one of the last remaining
    intact coastal ecosystem sites in Hawaii. Kaena Point is
    currently managed by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural
    Resources and includes the second most visited park on Oahu--
    Kaena Point State Park. The park offers numerous recreational
    opportunities for visitors: fishing, hiking, beachgoing,
    wildlife viewing, and picnicking. The state park also serves as
    a gateway to the Kaena Point Natural Area Reserve, which is
    also managed by the state. The 34-acre reserve was established
    over 30 years ago to help preserve one of the last intact dune
    ecosystems in Hawaii.
        The coastal ecosystems and near-shore waters at Kaena Point
    offer critical habitat to numerous endemic and endangered
    species. Green sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals are often
    spotted in the near-shore waters. Numerous endangered plant
    species, like Ohia or Kaena akoko spot the landscape, and
    endangered yellow-faced bees nest in the local driftwood. The
    unique vegetation at Kaena Point also offers prime nesting
    habitat for 17 different bird species, such as the albatross--
    they are an endangered species--and wedge-tailed shearwater.
    There is no question that Kaena Point's many historic,
    cultural, and natural resources combine to make a nationally
    significant landscape, a landscape that offers one of the last
    glimpses of undisturbed coastline in Hawaii.
        S. 4464 simply directs the Secretary of the Interior, in
    consultation with state and local stakeholders, to study the
    possibility of designating Kaena Point as a national heritage
    area. The bill requires the studies to be completed within
    three years, and that upon completion, the Secretary submits a
    report to Congress on the findings. It is supported by the
    Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, which
    currently manages the area. The House companion bill, H.R.
    1908, introduced by my colleague, Representative Case, passed
    the House earlier this year in March. A national heritage area
    designation would bring much-needed federal support to the
    management and educational opportunities at Kaena Point,
    including enhanced interpretation and resource protection.
        I urge my colleagues to join me in advancing S. 4464 out of
    the Committee so that the Senate can pass the bill and allow
    the Secretary to get the study underway. The National Park
    Service knows that ``through their resources, national heritage
    areas tell nationally important stories that celebrate our
    nation's diverse heritage.'' The historic, cultural, and the
    natural resources found at Kaena Point indeed tell a nationally
    significant story, a story told nowhere else in our country.
    This legislation will help ensure that story can continue to be
    told and appreciated for generations to come.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator King. Thank you, Senator Hirono.
        And we are honored to have with us Senator Alex Padilla of
    California to come before our Subcommittee.
        Senator Padilla, the floor is yours.

                OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. ALEX PADILLA,
                      U.S. SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA

        Senator Padilla. Thank you, Chairman King and Ranking
    Member Daines for inviting me to join you today to testify on a
    bill that I believe is necessary to help preserve and tell
    America's full history and embrace further the rich mosaic that
    is the United States of America. And it is fitting that I am
    here today, that we are here today, during Hispanic Heritage
    Month to consider a measure on behalf of the Cesar E. Chavez
    and the Farmworker Movement National Historic Park Act.
        Now, this month, we remember the accomplishments and
    contributions made by Latino leaders in America throughout our
    nation's history and we celebrate the people and the movements
    that have helped shape our nation and who have moved our
    country closer to living up to the ideals of democracy and
    equality that were established in our nation's founding. What
    better way to do that during Hispanic Heritage Month than to
    honor the civil rights icon and labor leader, Cesar E. Chavez,
    for future generations of Americans? As its name implies, my
    bill would establish a national historic park to preserve the
    nationally significant sites associated with Cesar E. Chavez
    and the farmworker movement.
        A little bit of legislative history: in 2008, in a
    bipartisan effort led by Senators John McCain and Barbara
    Boxer, as well as Representative Hilda Solis at the time,
    Congress directed the National Park Service to conduct a study
    of sites significant to the life of Chavez and the farm labor
    movement. The National Park Service determined several sites to
    be ``nationally significant'' and recommended that Congress
    establish a national historic park. While President Obama
    designated a UFW headquarters in Chavez's home in La Paz,
    California as a national monument in 2012, this legislation
    would build on that foundation and allow the National Park
    Service to tell the complete story of the movement through the
    inclusion of additional significant sites. If the National Park
    Service is to continue to be America's storyteller, this bill
    will help us honor and be more inclusive of the people who have
    moved our country forward.
        And on a personal note, I know some of you may recall the
    day and the ceremony where President Obama first established
    the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument in Keene, California. I
    remember it because I was there. My wife Angela and I pulled
    our oldest son, Roman, from school that day so that we could be
    part of history--history in the making. It was on that day in
    2012 with Roman perched on my shoulders, that we watched as a
    Latino leader was honored in the National Park System. And if
    you think I am exaggerating, Mr. Chairman, here is a photo from
    that day. A new generation of Americans saw that our nation
    also celebrates those who challenge us to build a more
    inclusive America. And kids, like mine--we now have three
    boys--can grow up knowing that some of the most courageous and
    admirable Americans are activists and organizers. They, too,
    are heroes. They are farmworkers and laborers and yes, they are
    Latino. And that is what we have a chance to do today, to help
    expand the story of our nation to better reflect the
    communities who helped write it and to remind us of the
    continued fight for dignity, for respect, and for equal justice
    that still lies before us.
        So I look forward to working with this Committee to advance
    this bill, and I thank you again for allowing me the
    opportunity to share a few words today. Thank you.
        Senator King. Senator Padilla, thank you so much for
    joining us. I remember Cesar E. Chavez quite well during the
    period that he was leading the farmworkers and I appreciate you
    bringing this bill forward.
        Now we will introduce our witnesses for today's hearing.
        First, Mr. Michael Caldwell, who is the Associate Director
    of Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands at the National Park
    Service. Mr. Caldwell is no stranger to this Committee, and we
    welcome him back. Thank you very much for being here today.
        We also have Mr. Will Shafroth, President and CEO of the
    National Park Foundation. Again, no stranger to this Committee,
    another familiar face and thank you for joining us.
        We also have Mr. Steve Richardson, Vice President of the
    Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters. Mr. Richardson is the
    former CEO and now Chair of the Board of Katahdin Trust
    Company, who resides in Shin Pond, Maine. We are very glad to
    have you here, Mr. Richardson. Thank you for taking the trip
    down to join us.
        Mr. Caldwell, your testimony.

     STATEMENT OF MICHAEL A. CALDWELL, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR PARK
     PLANNING, FACILITIES, AND LANDS, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, U.S.
                       DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

        Mr. Caldwell. Chairman King, Ranking Member Daines, thank
    you for the opportunity to present the Department of the
    Interior's views on the 16 bills on today's agenda. I would
    like to submit our full statements on each of the bills for the
    record and summarize the Department's views.
        Senator King. Without objection.
        Mr. Caldwell. The Department supports the following eight
    bills.
        S.J. Resolution 57, which would redesignate the memorial to
    Robert E. Lee in Arlington National Cemetery as the Arlington
    House National Historic Site.
        S. 3447, which would authorize the National Service Animals
    Monument Corporation to establish a commemorative work in
    Washington, DC, to commemorate service animals and their
    handlers.
        S. 3579, which would authorize the Embassy of France to
    establish a commemorative work in Washington, DC, to honor the
    contributions of Jean Monnet.
        S. 4122, which would designate specified segments of the
    Housatonic River in Connecticut as components of the National
    Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
        S. 4222, which would establish the St. Croix National
    Heritage Area in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
        S. 4464 and H.R. 1908, which would direct the Secretary of
    the Interior to conduct a study to assess the designation of
    Honolulu County, Hawaii, as a national heritage area to be
    known as the Kaena Point National Heritage Area.
        S. 4784, which would add 43,000 acres to the Katahdin Woods
    and Waters National Monument and enable the National Park
    Service to provide a dedicated public route into the monument
    from the south, improving access from the communities of
    Millinocket, East Millinocket and Medway.
        The reasons for our support of these bills are explained in
    our full statements. For several of the bills we are requesting
    amendments and we would be happy to work with the Committee on
    drafting them.
        The Department appreciates the opportunity provided by S.
    305, the Springfield Race Riot National Monument Act, to
    increase public awareness and engagement with this painful, but
    important chapter in our nation's history. The bill would
    establish the Springfield Race Riot National Monument in
    Illinois as a unit of the National Park System to preserve and
    interpret the resources associated with the Springfield Race
    Riot of 1908 and its role in the formation of the NAACP. The
    National Park Service is currently in the process of completing
    a special resource study of the site, and if the Committee
    decides to move forward on this bill before the study is
    completed, the Department would appreciate the opportunity to
    recommend technical amendments to the bill.
        S. 1211 would authorize the establishment of the Cahokia
    Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park. The
    Department recognizes the importance of the story that is
    represented by the resources related to the Cahokia Mounds and
    other Mississippian mound sites in the greater St. Louis area,
    but recommends that the bill be amended to provide for a
    special resource study in place of a park designation at this
    time.
        The Department does not object to S. 3873, which would
    recognize and honor former U.S. Congressman Rick Boucher by
    designating the outdoor amphitheater at the Blue Ridge Music
    Center in Galax, Virginia, as the ``Rick Boucher
    Amphitheater.''
        Regarding S. 4168, which would increase the annual
    authorization of the appropriations to the National Park
    Foundation from $5 million to $15 million, and extend the
    authority for this funding through Fiscal Year 2030, the
    Department supports the extension of the authorization of
    appropriations and looks forward to working with Congress to
    ensure continued support for the National Park Service in
    alignment with the priorities set forth in the President's
    budget.
        The Department appreciates the concept and vision of H.R.
    4878, which would amend the National Trail System Act to
    include a new category of national discovery trails and
    designate the American Discovery Trail as the first trail in
    this new category, but does not support amending the National
    Trail System Act to include this new designation.
        Finally, on S. 4377 and H.R. 4380, which would designate
    the Healing Garden in El Paso, Texas as the El Paso Community
    Healing Garden National Monument Memorial, the Department will
    be submitting a statement for the record following the hearing.
    The Department has previously testified that it does not have a
    position on H.R. 4380, as the memorial would be located at a
    site that is not under the jurisdiction of the Department of
    the Interior, and the bill does not provide for any management
    or funding by the National Park Service.
        Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement. I would be
    pleased to answer any questions you may have.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Caldwell follows:]

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        Senator King. Thank you very much, Mr. Caldwell, and thank
    you again for all your service. You are in friendly territory
    here. That brings me to Mr. Will Shafroth, testifying on behalf
    of the National Park Foundation.
        Mr. Shafroth, welcome.

     STATEMENT OF WILL SHAFROTH, PRESIDENT AND CEO, NATIONAL PARK
                               FOUNDATION

        Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Daines, thank you for the
    invitation to be here today. I am Will Shafroth, President and
    CEO of the National Park Foundation. On behalf of the
    Foundation's Board of Directors, and all who love our most
    treasured places in this country, I want to thank you, again,
    for holding this hearing and to consider S. 4168, the National
    Park Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2022. An identical
    companion bill, H.R. 7693, has already passed the House on July
    19th with strong bipartisan support.
        Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation
    was founded on a legacy that began more than a century ago when
    private citizens from all walks of life acted to establish and
    protect our national parks. Today, the National Park Foundation
    carries on the tradition as the only national charitable non-
    profit whose sole mission is to directly support the National
    Park Service. Working together with the National Park Service
    and a dedicated community of park partners, the National Park
    Foundation strives to preserve what is best about our national
    parks and ensure that all people can connect with and enjoy
    them. The success of the National Park Foundation is tied to
    the financial support by the individuals, families,
    foundations, and corporate partners provide to it. In FY21,
    that support totaled more than $128 million. As we close the
    books on FY22, we anticipate total revenue to exceed $166
    million with more than 73 percent of that directly impacting
    the parks.
        One reason for the foundation's rapid growth in recent
    years is its ability to leverage federal dollars. Many donors
    who I work with want to know that their funds are being matched
    by federal investments. As authorized by the National Park
    Service Centennial Act of 2016, the foundation receives up to
    $5 million in annual appropriations through FY23. The Act also
    requires the foundation to provide a minimum of a dollar-for-
    dollar private match for any programs or projects funded with
    federal appropriations. Since receiving its first appropriation
    in FY18, the foundation received a total of $23 million in
    federal funds. The foundation selects projects and matches
    funds at a greater than one-to-one ratio in all cases. For
    example, the foundation received $5 million in FY19 and matched
    that with $6.5 million in private funds, creating a total
    impact of over $11.5 million. In FY20, the $5 million the
    foundation received was matched with $11.4 million in private
    funds, creating an overall impact of more than $15 million. So,
    of the $18 million that the foundation received from the
    Treasury for FY18-FY21, the foundation has raised and allocated
    an additional $23.8 million. So it is a good bang for the buck,
    we think, for Congress to provide these funds. The foundation
    continues the process of matching and allocating additional
    funds for the remainder of appropriation dollars on an ongoing
    basis. It is a continual thing that we try to respond to parks
    and the Park Service, in general.
        To date, the foundation has invested a combination of
    appropriated and private dollars on more than 100 projects in
    32 states and two territories. Our goal over the next couple of
    years is to have funded projects in all 50 states and many more
    territories. The foundation staff works closely with both the
    Park Service as well as our local park partners to identify
    priority projects and programs where investing appropriated
    dollars can help leverage private dollars. Examples of these
    projects include rehabilitating trails, visitor centers, and
    other facilities; deploying service corps to build and maintain
    trails, eradicate invasive species and restore historic
    structures; engaging in educating youth; expanding
    sustainability efforts, including reducing waste and funding
    electric vehicle shuttle programs in parks; conserving wildlife
    in their habitat; and restoring and improving historic and
    cultural resources. These funds have proven critical in
    addressing the parks' deferred maintenance backlog, making our
    parks more resilient and sustainable and increasing access for
    current and future generations of park visitors.
        With increased visitation to parks and a continued gap
    between need and available funding across the park system, the
    National Park Foundation Reauthorization Act could not come at
    a better time. S. 4168 would reauthorize the foundation's
    annual appropriation through 2030, as you have heard, and
    increase the authorized amount from $5 to $15 million. We will
    continue to be very confident that we can raise substantial
    private funds to more than double the federal investment in
    park programs and projects, and should this reauthorization
    happen, as proposed, the total impact on the parks on an annual
    basis will be greater than $30 million. The foundation
    anticipates continued growth in its fundraising in the coming
    years, and we believe that the passage of the Reauthorization
    Act will only accelerate the growth and deliver critical impact
    to our parks and improve visitor experience. Literally, the
    legislation puts wind in our sails as we go out and are seeking
    additional funds for the parks.
        Thank you again to Senator Portman, Chairman King, and
    Ranking Member Daines, for introducing legislation and for all
    those who have joined as co-sponsors since. I am happy to
    answer any questions you have.
        Thank you very much.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Shafroth follows:]

    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Senator King. Thank you, Mr. Shafroth. I only wish every
    witness before our Committee could promise us $2 back for every
    dollar we put in. I think our job would be a lot easier.
        Mr. Shafroth. Good, well, we hope to make it more than $2.
        Senator King. Our next witness is Mr. Steven Richardson. He
    will introduce himself, but I have to say that my dad used to
    use the term ``pillar of the community''--someone who is really
    essential to the support of any community--literally, a pillar,
    meaning someone who holds the place up. Steve Richardson is one
    of those people, from Patten, Maine. We are delighted you made
    the trip to join us today.
        Steven Richardson.

      STATEMENT OF STEVEN RICHARDSON, VICE PRESIDENT, FRIENDS OF
                       KATAHDIN WOODS AND WATERS

        Mr. Richardson. Thank you very much, Senator King. Before I
    start, I would just encourage Ranking Member Daines to ask you
    to bring a one-pound bag of fiddleheads back to him. It is not
    the foraging of it that is so much fun, it is the eating.
        [Laughter.]
        Mr. Richardson. Thank you both and the members of this
    distinguished Committee, Subcommittee on National Parks. I am
    honored and humbled to be with you today to discuss the
    critical legislation that you are considering for Katahdin
    Woods and Waters National Monument. But before I start, I need
    to offer my sincere appreciation to Senator Angus King and
    Senator Susan Collins for their support and advocacy for Maine
    and Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, specifically.
    Since its creation in August of 2016, our Senators have worked
    diligently through the appropriations process to improve the
    monument, increase staffing, protect its resources, and make it
    more accessible to visitors. So thank you very much.
        Senator King has introduced me, for the most part. I was
    born in Patten. I now live in Shin Pond, which is just ten
    miles away. I live in the northern part of the monument area.
    In addition to what you have heard about me, I also am a very
    silent partner with my son, Nathan, who successfully runs the
    family hardware, the lumber yard, greenhouse, et cetera in
    Patten. And I look forward today to providing testimony on S.
    4784, the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Act,
    which is sponsored by Chairman King and co-sponsored by Senator
    Collins. To me, this legislation is about the future. It is
    about making it possible for our kids to stay in the region and
    thus, in Maine.
        Millinocket, a town south of the monument, was once home to
    the largest paper mill in the world. Families made their living
    in the woods and in the mills, and there were good jobs with
    benefits for anyone willing to work hard. But that changed,
    through no fault of the good men and women of the Katahdin
    region. Our communities have had to adapt to a new reality and
    take new approaches to our natural resources and our economy.
    The monument is an important part of that transition. It is a
    beacon of hope, drawing new people, more visitors, and
    increased investment to our communities, all the while
    protecting a very special place for the enjoyment of
    generations to come.
        The legislation before you does three things: first, it
    allows the National Park Service to acquire land from willing
    sellers to improve access to the monument. Second, it allows
    the National Park Service to work collaboratively with local
    communities to secure space for headquarters, staff housing,
    visitor contact stations, and other important facilities in
    gateway communities. And third, it protects and preserves
    access for traditional activities, including hunting, fishing,
    snowmobiling, and the gathering of those all-important
    fiddleheads.
        When the monument was created, we all knew that the access
    from the south would benefit towns such as Millinocket, East
    Millinocket, and Medway, so that visitors there could enter the
    monument more easily and the economic benefits of visitation
    would be spread more evenly. Southern access is imperative to
    those gateway communities and for the monument's continued
    growth and development. Senators King and Collins have
    recognized a need and found a solution that is broadly
    supported in the region and statewide. When it was created,
    Katahdin Woods and Waters also came with a promise. Private
    philanthropy would ensure the monument would get off to a good
    start by investing private dollars into infrastructure. That
    promise, I am proud to say, has been kept. There is a $3
    million endowment, along with annual private funding to offset
    operational costs to the National Park Service. Over $20
    million has been raised from donors to construct a new
    visitor's contact center inside the monument and more than $8
    million philanthropic dollars have been invested to improve
    roads, bridges, trails, scenic views, and campsites. Katahdin
    Woods and Waters has built incredible momentum because of the
    unique and successful partnership between local communities,
    philanthropic partners, and the National Park Service. Friends
    of Katahdin Woods and Waters has developed the Katahdin
    Learning Project, where staff leadership, local schools and
    educators, and the National Park Service have combined to
    provide 9,000 students the opportunity for outdoor learning,
    place-based and service-learning projects, and trail crew
    opportunities. To date, 1,600 young people, have visited the
    monument, connecting them with nature and the history of the
    area. This legislation you are considering is all about
    connecting all people with the monument.
        The monument is paying off for the communities in the
    region. As a personal story, my son recognized that with the
    creation of the monument, our store had an opportunity to serve
    new types of customers. It was a risk, but he believed that
    once people learned about the beauty and the history of our
    region and about the monument, they would come. He began to
    stock kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, camping gear and the like.
    I am happy today to say that he was correct. The store has
    experienced minimum 20 percent year-over-year increases over
    the past six years. This is true for many businesses in the
    Katahdin region, as more people have come to take advantage of
    what is offered. And some visitors have luckily become full-
    time residents.
        To summarize, there is a need in our region to improve
    access to Katahdin Woods and Waters. The legislation from
    Senators King and Collins protects traditional recreational
    uses, allows the National Park Service to work with willing
    sellers, promotes greater investment in our region, and will
    help businesses and working people. I appreciate their support
    on this matter and ongoing support for the monument, and I hope
    the Senate will support this bill as well. I am happy to answer
    any questions you might have and thank you for the opportunity
    to tell the story of Katahdin Woods and Waters National
    Monument and what it means to my community and beyond. Thank
    you.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Richardson follows:]

    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Senator King. Thank you very much, Mr. Richardson.
        Let me begin with some questions generally. Mr. Caldwell, I
    understand the importance that working forests have access and
    the ability to get their woods out. Can you talk about how the
    Park Service deals with this issue in other parts of the
    country to have the safe cohabitation, if you will, of visitors
    and the forest products industry?
        Mr. Caldwell. Sure. Well, certainly at Katahdin Woods--it
    is great to see you here, sir--we honor all the agreements that
    we have, and I think you alluded to that earlier when you
    identified even the signs and the website. But where authorized
    elsewhere in the country for commercial use, say in places,
    parts of the Foothills Parkway in the Smokies or Delaware Water
    Gap, for example, the Park Service has balanced those needs
    with those commercial uses versus the needs of the visitors on
    those roads. So it is something that we do elsewhere when we
    have those authorizations in places similar to Katahdin Woods.
        Senator King. Thank you. I look forward to working with you
    on that issue.
        Mr. Caldwell. Thank you.
        Senator King. Mr. Shafroth, you outlined this in your
    remarks, and I mentioned it in my response, but I think the
    important fact for us here is the matching that you do. Can you
    expand on that a little bit? What can we look forward to in
    terms of a return on this investment that is proposed in this
    bill?
        Mr. Shafroth. Thank you for the question, Mr. Chairman.
        Well, you know, I would say 60 or 70 percent of my job, Mr.
    Chairman, is fundraising. I am at the point of the spear with a
    lot of corporations and foundations, individuals, families, and
    I can tell you that the dynamic that exists when people are
    considering making a meaningful gift to the National Park
    Foundation has a lot to do with, ``Well, who else is going to
    be in with me on this? Is the Federal Government a part of this
    transaction or this project? Do you have other donors that are
    lined up?'' Very few people want to fund 100 percent of
    something. And so, when I can acknowledge in the course of
    those conversations that, yes, we are able to put a quarter of
    a million dollars of our federal appropriation dollars into
    this program or project, it just shifts the likelihood that we
    are going to get a grant.
        And so, you know, this is the first time in our 55-year
    history--this last four years--that we have actually had
    financial resources from the Federal Government to spend. And
    so, part of this process for us has been figuring out the
    relationships with the Park Service and making sure that we are
    aligned with them, both nationally and the local community. I
    would say we are hitting our stride in a meaningful way, and I
    think even though we are somewhere at, like, for every dollar
    that we are provided we are at $1.4 or something like that, in
    terms of the match. I think we can see an opportunity to grow
    that going forward. And I think there is a huge amount of
    demand out there, especially given the shortfall of other
    federal dollars available for parks.
        Senator King. I have a particularly vivid story about the
    power of matching. I used to work for public broadcasting in
    Maine, and you know, you have the pledge breaks and people look
    at the camera and say ``new members, if you match . . .'', and
    for some reason, it came into my head one night when I was
    looking at the camera, and I said ``I will personally match all
    new members of a hundred dollars,'' or whatever it was. It was
    the biggest night of calls they ever got. And it was so--and
    so, the head of the station the next day said ``Angus, you
    don't really have to do that.'' I said ``yes, I do. I made a
    promise.'' But I would not tell you what it cost me, but it was
    significant.
        [Laughter.]
        Senator King. All of my friends called in and picked my
    pocket that night.
        [Laughter.]
        Senator King. Mr. Richardson, you have been in the region
    your whole life and you remember, as I do, that there was a lot
    of controversy at the time of the creation of the monument, and
    there was opposition, and people were concerned about the
    impacts in the community. Have attitudes changed? How has the
    existence of the monument affected the community's acceptance
    of it?
        Mr. Richardson. Thank you.
        I would say that attitudes have changed. I won't say that
    everybody is in favor. I think we are now down to two remaining
    ``no parks'' signs in our communities, whereas before we had
    20, 30, maybe more. Just an anecdote--there was one gentleman
    on the edge of the Swift Brook Road that is the entrance for
    the monument on the northern end. During the lead-up to the
    2016 proclamation, he had mega signs on his doorway and his
    driveway, et cetera and he would go to meetings and protest, et
    cetera, et cetera.
        Senator King. I remember those meetings.
        Mr. Richardson. Yes and the other--not too long ago--it was
    this summer, there was an activity in the Sherman area and one
    of EFI's people was down there.
        Senator King. Those are the people that were involved with
    the monument.
        Mr. Richardson. Correct--Elliotsville Foundation people.
        This gentleman tapped on the lady's shoulder and he said,
    ``I have to say, I approve of the park.'' He calls it a park,
    not a monument, but he called it a park. There are no signs on
    his lawn anymore. And I am not saying that is the same thing
    that happens all over the area, but there is general
    acceptance, even those that were vocally opposed, you don't
    hear anything. They either don't say anything or they are
    quietly approving.
        Senator King. You touched on this with regard to the
    personal experience of the store in Patten.
        Mr. Richardson. Yes.
        Senator King. Is there a general consensus in the business
    community that the monument has been a positive, in terms of
    the economy?
        Mr. Richardson. Yes, there is. The only thing that I would
    qualify that with is that I think a lot of the uptick in the
    business community has been because of COVID. We have a nation
    now that has turned to the outdoors rather than sitting home
    and looking at the screen, so to speak, and that has helped and
    that going to help the national parks all over this country. It
    has helped businesses because we have people every week. Last
    week I talked to a gentleman from West Virginia and another one
    from Texas that was in Northern Maine, and I am sure they would
    have never been there if it weren't for the fact that they now
    are outdoors, they are trying to find places to go and thank
    goodness they are picking our area.
        Senator King. One final question.
        Mr. Richardson. Yes.
        Senator King. This bill provides access to the south. This
    will have the effect, as I see it, of spreading the benefits in
    terms of the economy to those southern communities as well as
    up in your region.
        Mr. Richardson. That is correct.
        If you were coming north and you were to get off in the
    Millinocket-East Millinocket-Medway area, and assume that you
    could access the park from there, you still have to drive back
    to the Interstate, come north 20 miles, and go into the
    monument or go up the local highway, again, another 20 miles to
    get there. So, yes, once those people know that they can access
    the monument from the southern district they will probably stay
    there for the most part and spend their money. So it just has
    to have a tremendous positive effect on those communities.
        Senator King. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Richardson.
        Senator Daines.
        Senator Daines. Chairman King, thank you.
        Mr. Caldwell, Mr. Shafroth, a heartfelt thanks to both of
    you for the work you have already done in Yellowstone National
    Park. This is a park that I literally grew up in the shadows of
    as a kid, way back in the 1960s. I grew up in the Gallatin
    Valley. Some of my earliest memories were visiting Yellowstone
    National Park. I wonder if you could provide an update on what
    the Park Service and the foundation is doing to address the
    economic and the infrastructure impacts from the recent
    flooding, and how can both of you work together with the local
    communities to get the park and the communities back to 100
    percent?
        Start with Mr. Caldwell.
        Mr. Caldwell. I always defer to Will first, but I will go
    first. First, I do want to sincerely thank you, Senator Daines,
    for your support during the flooding at Yellowstone. I think as
    you rightly noted in your introductory statement, the hard work
    of the team at the park, led by Superintendent Sholly and in
    collaboration with the staff from across the NPS and the
    Department and also with our Federal partners, like Federal
    highways, I mean, it has, we have been all in helping and we
    really, sincerely appreciate your help.
        The NPS was able to reopen 50 percent of the park within
    only eight days, 93 percent of the park roads within 20 days,
    and 94 percent of the back country within 30 days of this 500-
    year flood event from this past June. This allowed for visitor
    access from Montana and Wyoming through three of the park's
    five entrances, just weeks after the flood. The park offered
    public access for hiking, fishing, and bicycling at the north
    and northeast entrances as quickly as possible and worked
    closely with commercial operators and guides to allow
    additional vehicles access through the north entrance. The park
    conducted extensive outreach, as you have noted, to more than
    1,400 community members and local businesses following the
    flood, and continues to communicate with local businesses
    regularly throughout the recovery. We look forward to
    continuing to provide updates to you as needed and certainly,
    it is an effort that will take the collaboration of folks like
    Will in the National Park Foundation, so, thanks again.
        Senator Daines. Mr. Shafroth.
        Mr. Shafroth. Yes, Mr. Daines, thank you.
        First of all, I want to affirm what Mike just said about
    Superintendent Sholly. I mean, of the 423 or four national park
    units that we have now, he is definitely one of the top
    performers and you know, as tragic as it was, I am really glad
    that Cam was there on the ground, given his capacity to manage
    the crisis that was unfolding in real time. Also, Senator, I
    want to acknowledge the great work of Yellowstone Forever, the
    local park partner that provides day-to-day support and
    assistance for Cam and his team throughout the park. You know,
    one of the things that we try to do is just listen to Cam and
    find out, what do you need, you know, in real time. And so, one
    of the things we were able to do is provide funding for the
    airport because they were mostly getting around, as you know,
    by airplane there, as the roads were all out. So there needed
    to be additional funding to support costs they had not
    anticipated in their budget to support additional flights, not
    only for surveying the damage, but also ongoing research
    projects that did not--you do not want to stop those things
    that have been happening for so many years related to wolves
    or--and then the other thing I would say is that we just try to
    work with Cam and his team to understand, kind of, what they
    need and how we can collectively solve the problem.
        And so, one of the things he told us is that we really need
    to stay the course on some of these scientific research
    projects. We are looking at the possibility of taking a larger
    share of the burden on those so it frees up money for him to
    spend on some of the things that need to be done in the
    immediate. So, as I said, we are just kind of part of the team,
    and we are trying to do what we can do to support the work at
    Yellowstone where we can, just as we did at Gardiner Arch a few
    years back. Our dollars there really freed up Cam and
    Yellowstone Forever to do other things that needed to happen in
    the park.
        Senator Daines. Thanks, Mr. Shafroth. We are very thankful
    that Mr. Sholly happened to be at that position at that time,
    not only in terms of his experience and frankly, such a great
    mind to help us think through so many challenges that came at
    us all at once, but, kind of a native son of Gardiner, too,
    having gone to the Gardiner High School, which I think just
    adds a little more in terms of perspective as they were staring
    at what to do about that road between Gardiner and Mammoth. So,
    anyway, thank you. And again, heartfelt thanks for your
    continued partnership.
        Mr. Shafroth, I want to switch now and talk about Senate
    bill 4168, the reauthorization of the foundation until 2030. It
    increases the annual authorization--triples it, from $5 million
    to $15 million. If this bill was signed into law, how will that
    enhance the work the foundation is already doing to support our
    parks?
        Mr. Shafroth. Thank you, Mr. Daines.
        Well, it just gives us an opportunity to scale the work
    that we have already been doing. You know, at the end of the
    day, the number of requests that we have for the funding that
    we have now far exceeds our ability to meet the demand. One of
    the things that is happening around the country is that the
    capacity of friends groups and local park partners is
    increasing, and you know, thankfully, because of the increase
    in visitation and the growing gap between funding availability
    and need, we are working with a broader diversity of
    organizations at the local level to help them to do work with
    their superintendents in the parks. And so, you know, 10 or 15
    years ago, there were maybe eight or ten organizations that
    were raising, you know, more than a million or $2 million a
    year. Now that number is dramatically higher. And so, frankly,
    we have more organizations with whom we can work to do good in
    parks all over the country.
        I want to acknowledge that we have a very active role in
    Katahdin. We are the managers of the $3 million endowment. And
    we are able to contribute to projects using our federal dollars
    now that--this organization did not exist six years ago. And
    so, there are lots of groups like this all over the country
    with whom we now have a partnership and are helping them build
    their capacity so they can be responsible partners to the Park
    Service and their local communities. And so, this is done at
    the right time. I mean, even five years ago, we probably
    couldn't have spent $15 million a year that effectively, but
    now, we really could.
        Senator Daines. And with Chairman King's commitment to
    match that personally----
        [Laughter.]
        Mr. Shafroth. We are inviting you to our fundraiser, Mr.
    King.
        Senator Daines. Let the record stand, please. So, anyway,
    sorry.
        So, you know, shifting gears and thinking about the smaller
    parks because, of course, you know, our big marquee parks get a
    lot of attention and rightfully so, but our smaller parks--
    think about the Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana. How can
    the foundation continue to support our smaller and sometimes
    lesser-known parks?
        Mr. Shafroth. Thank you for the question.
        It is really critical, and I am sure Mike will want to
    weigh in on this as well, but you know, roughly half of the
    visitation of the national parks occurs on 25 or 30 national
    park sites. So, you know, roughly 160 or 165 million people go
    to 25 of the 425 parks. And that is just, kind of,
    unsustainable and it is actually increasing. I was in Acadia
    this summer with our board for four days and you know,
    everywhere it was crowded. It was late July, early August and
    you know, you couldn't find a parking space. It was--there were
    a lot of folks there. Part of what we are trying to do is to
    drive more visitation to some of the lesser-known parks. And
    one of the ways in which we think we can do that, by working
    with the Park Service, is around technology, is to give people,
    you know, kind of one-stop shopping on their phone, you know,
    an app that would give them information, not only about the
    park that they are in, but other places that are close by. I
    mean, I would never tell people not to go to Yellowstone, but I
    would say instead of staying for five days, maybe stay for
    three days, go see Little Bighorn, go to Devils Tower, go to
    Teddy Roosevelt, you know, within a day's drive of where you
    are. And I think that if we had those kinds of tools to better
    do that, we could make that happen.
        And the other part of it is to help those parks, those
    lesser-known parks, Senator Daines, to have more to show for
    themselves. The work that we have done, as you acknowledge, at
    Little Bighorn is critical to wanting people to go there and
    come back by improving the visitor experience of the visitor
    center. It is also a great example of where we can provide
    funding from a foundation and match those with the federal
    dollars that we receive from Congress.
        Senator Daines. Yes, I know, I think it is a great, great
    response and just providing visibility and awareness of some of
    these smaller parks that, you know, the big parks have the draw
    and then they don't realize that within a couple hours' drive
    are amazing hidden jewels there, that we could improve the
    visitor experience.
        Lastly, I want to think about the future here for a moment.
    If the foundation is reauthorized until 2030, what are some
    projects you would like to see the foundation support, and how
    do you see the foundation adapting to what you just mentioned,
    and that is the increase in visitation we have seen? You
    mentioned technology as one. Any other thoughts come to mind?
        Mr. Shafroth. Well, I think we need to--like you said,
    thinking about the future, and we are in regular contact with
    Mike and the leadership of the Park Service about some of the
    challenges they are facing around housing, for instance.
    Housing is not something that we were hearing a lot about five
    years ago, but now, it is all we hear about. Every time I talk
    to a superintendent, it is on their mind. And so, how can we
    help the Park Service address these long-term issues that are
    not going to go away? Housing, I think that visitor experience,
    I talked about the digital and technological experience there.
    I think, you know, certainly, our changing climate is going to
    affect a lot of different parks in different ways, and I think
    getting ahead of some of those issues with them, understanding
    how to be more resilient and more sustainable, are ways in
    which I think we can help the Park Service going forward.
        Senator Daines. Thank you.
        And Chairman King, that is all I have, but just as a
    closing comment, we have discussed a number of times in front
    of this Committee, the challenge you just described there, Mr.
    Shafroth, that is these gateway communities that are
    landlocked, and how do we solve that problem. It relates to
    housing and the need just for additional real estate as we
    increase the visitation numbers, the staffing requirements, and
    housing, and good housing is an important part of employee
    morale. I know Cam has worked a lot on that in Yellowstone
    Park, but I know we face this in a number of gateway
    communities across our country. Chairman King and I have talked
    about it and I think it will be something in the next Congress
    we will have to address and take some action on.
        Senator King. In fact, one of the bills we approved at a
    previous Committee meeting involved a little parcel at Acadia
    to transfer to an adjacent town for housing. So that is the
    kind of thing that we have to be thinking about.
        Mr. Caldwell, I want to send a message back. This is not
    directed at you, but at the Department. I have been
    disappointed in the maintenance budget. Senator Daines and I
    and many others moved heaven and earth to pass the Great
    American Outdoors Act to take a bite out of the maintenance
    backlog, which was successful, but we have to quit digging the
    hole. There are national standards about percentage of asset
    value that should be dedicated to maintenance--between two and
    four percent. We are not doing that. So I hope the message will
    go back to the Department that as they are working out budgets
    for future years, that they cannot rely on Congress bailing
    them out periodically. That has to be part of the mentality
    of--oh, okay, maintenance. That is base. Will you carry that
    message, please?
        Mr. Caldwell. Duly noted. I will carry that message. Thank
    you.
        Senator King. Thank you.
        Well, I appreciate all the witnesses joining us. Is there
    anything any of the witnesses would like to share before we
    close the hearing?
        Mr. Shafroth.
        Mr. Richardson.
        [No response.]
        Senator King. Well, thank you again for your testimony. Mr.
    Richardson, again, I appreciate your coming down from Maine and
    look forward to working with you and Senator Daines, and I and
    the Committee will be working on these bills, hopefully, in the
    very near future.
        Without anything further, we have two weeks from today for
    submission of additional information and comments. The hearing
    is adjourned.
        Again, thank you to our witnesses and to my esteemed Vice
    Chair.
        [Whereupon, at 11:35 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.]

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