[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:]

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    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:]

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    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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