The Trump administration is exploring ways to outsource operations at national parks to private businesses. Lobbyists for private businesses welcome the invitation.
"The Trump administration is moving forward with an ambitious plan to give private businesses greater access to national parks, according to a memorandum written by an advisory council for the Department of the Interior," reports Alexander Nazaryan.
Interior Secretary David Bernhardt makes the case for allowing more private business to run concessions in national parks by pointing to the $12 billion in deferred maintenance at national parks. "Private businesses — including concessionaires and tour guides — already operate in many national parks," according to Nazaryan.
"The Sept. 24 memorandum, which was written for the Department of the Interior’s Subcommittee on Recreation Enhancement Through Reorganization, says that privatization should begin as a pilot program 'in park units with low levels of visitor services.' But eventually that program would be exported to other agencies within the Interior Department that manage public lands, including the Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service."
More details on the memo (including the author of the memo, who is not an Interior official, but the president of American Recreation Coalition, a lobbyist for the increased use of private companies in national parks) are included in the article.
The National Parks system has been the focus of antagonism throughout the Trump administration. The previous secretary of the Interior attempted to triple admissions fees at some national parks. The Trump administration also raided national parks funding to pay for the "Salute to America" parade and rally earlier this year. The disconnect between the Trump administration and parks supporters also provoked mass resignations from the National Park Service advisory board in 2018.
FULL STORY: Campgrounds in national parks set to be privatized in new Trump plan
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.