The Trump administration reportedly refused to approve more than 130 National Park Service partnership agreements, freezing at least $25 million in funding. Affected projects include wildfire prevention and hantavirus mitigation at Joshua Tree, archaeological protection in Iowa, species conservation in the Golden Gate area, and sled-dog support in Denali. The Department of the Interior said it disapproved agreements with groups it views as opposing administration priorities but did not specify which policies were violated. The Great Basin Institute accounted for over 70 cancelled agreements worth at least $12.7 million.
Trump Administration Blocks $25M in National Park Projects, Freezing 130+ Partnership Agreements
Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon and the National Park Service on Facebook
The Trump administration has declined to approve more than 130 planned projects across the National Park System, putting at least $25 million in previously secured funding on hold, according to internal Department of the Interior documents reviewed by The Washington Post.
What Was Disapproved
Last month the Department of the Interior refused to sign partnership agreements for projects at a number of high-profile parks, including Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion and Joshua Tree. The National Park Service commonly uses such agreements to bring in outside organizations for specialized work without adding permanent federal employees. In many cases the projects had already received funding — through congressional appropriations, federal programs, or internal sources — but were awaiting final department approval before money could be released.
Examples of Affected Work
Joshua Tree National Park was one of the hardest hit, with at least 10 proposed agreements rejected. Planned work there included wildfire recovery and prevention efforts and removal of rodents carrying hantavirus from historic buildings. An internal Park Service document warned:
"If this work is not completed, the park will be unable to fight wildfire. Fires will be larger and fire suppression will be more expensive."
Other rejected projects included efforts to protect prehistoric Native American mounds in Iowa from falling trees, a partnership to protect the endangered San Francisco garter snake in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and funding for three workers who care for sled dogs used by rangers in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
Who Was Affected
The Great Basin Institute, a conservation nonprofit, accounted for more than 70 of the disapproved agreements, representing at least $12.7 million. The institute's chief executive told The Washington Post that the Department of the Interior had not directly contacted the organization about the decision.
Administration Rationale
Department of the Interior spokesperson Aubrie Spady told The Post that the department had "disapproved a number of partnership agreements with groups actively working against the best interests of the American people and the priorities of this administration." Spady said the move was intended to ensure taxpayer dollars align with administration objectives such as making life more affordable, expanding access to public lands and supporting domestic energy production. She did not specify which policies or actions triggered the disapprovals, according to the report.
Related Developments
Separately, reports say the administration is pursuing a land exchange at Yosemite that could transfer control of a quarter-mile strip of park land to a private developer. The Park Service has said that "no final decisions" have been made on the proposal.
Sources: Internal Department of the Interior documents reviewed by The Washington Post; initial reporting appeared on Mediaite.
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