SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
For Immediate Release
March, 17 2010, 01:45pm EDT
Contact:
Bart Melton, National Parks Conservation Association, 202.494.7880
Amy Kleiner-Roberts, Outdoor Industry Association, 303.888.3827
Adam Cramer, Outdoor Alliance, 202.409.4155
Outdoor Industry Leaders Call on Congress to Make Investing in Public Lands and Protecting Natural Resources a Priority in Climate Legislation
Seventy-five outdoor businesses, the Outdoor Industry
Association, Outdoor Alliance and the National Parks Conservation
Association have signed on to a letter calling on Congress to protect
public lands from climate change impacts. The letter, which will be
delivered to Congressional offices this week, is below. Healthy lands
and waters help generate $730 billion in economic activity in the
United States, which generates $88 billion in state and federal tax
revenue.
WASHINGTON
Seventy-five outdoor businesses, the Outdoor Industry
Association, Outdoor Alliance and the National Parks Conservation
Association have signed on to a letter calling on Congress to protect
public lands from climate change impacts. The letter, which will be
delivered to Congressional offices this week, is below. Healthy lands
and waters help generate $730 billion in economic activity in the
United States, which generates $88 billion in state and federal tax
revenue.
Statement by Amy Kleiner-Roberts, Vice-president of Governmental Affairs, Outdoor Industry Association:
"The active outdoor recreation industry is among the first to
experience the impacts of climate change on our public lands. From
declining snowpacks to droughts that cause forests to die, climate
change can degrade and limit opportunities for outdoor recreation.
"We are asking Congress to pass climate legislation that includes
funding for the restoration and adaptation of public lands. We ask that
they be protected for their own sake, and for the people who hope to
continue to enjoy clean air, scenic landscapes and outdoor recreation."
Statement by Mark Wenzler, Director Clean Air and Climate Programs, National Parks Conservation Association:
"Restoration work on federal lands helps sustain local economies and
American jobs, in addition to maintaining healthy ecosystems. Taking
action now to invest in work that helps our lands and wildlife adapt to
the earth's changing climate will ensure that public lands, including
our national parks, will continue to support 6.5 million jobs and
preserve our country's best scenery and wildlife for our children and
grandchildren to enjoy."
###
Dear Senator:
Members of the outdoor recreation industry, along with the National
Parks Conservation Association and the Outdoor Alliance, are seriously
concerned about the immediate and profound threats climate change poses
to America's natural areas and the significant outdoor pursuits and
economic activities supported by these places.
The people and businesses of the outdoor community are some of the
first to experience the impacts of climate change on our public lands.
Declining snowpack shortens ski and snowshoe seasons, makes alpine
climbing more dangerous and can eliminate ice climbing. Less snowpack
means less water in our creeks, rivers and lakes for paddling. Higher
temperatures and prolonged droughts impact the forests, mountains,
deserts, and rivers where we recreate. Climate change can degrade,
limit, and in some cases eliminate opportunities for outdoor
experiences.
As climate legislation moves forward, we ask you prioritize
protecting our national and state parks, forests, wild and scenic
rivers, national conservation areas, wildlife refuges, wilderness
areas, and national recreation areas. Healthy lands and waters as well
as the wildlife and habitat that they support are the foundation of the
$730 billion in economic activity generated by active outdoor
recreation, which supports 6.5 million jobs -- 1 in 20 across the U.S.
-- and $88 billion in state and federal tax revenue.
Though our lands, waters, plant and animals certainly deserve
protection for their own sake, they should also be protected for the
wealth of ecosystem services they provide for society at large: Clean
air and water, biodiversity, carbon storage, wildlife habitat, historic
landscapes and, particularly, outdoor recreation.
Our national parks are the envy of the world and are part of the
lifeblood of the people and businesses that make up the outdoor
community. Climate-related changes will increasingly degrade our
national parks and harm the communities and businesses that depend on
healthy natural resources for their continued economic prosperity.
Investments that help restore America's wildlife and natural resources,
making them more resilient to climate change, will improve the
ecological health of our national parks and other public lands while
enhancing the active recreation economy and the national economy at
large.
For the sake of our national parks, forests, rivers, other natural
areas and wild places, as well as the thriving economic activity that
these places support, please make sure that protecting and enhancing
America's natural areas is a priority in climate legislation. Thank you
for your consideration.
Best Regards,
Bill Cochrane Active Outdoors Group
Bridget Muscat All-Ett Poway, CA
Melanie Maltby Big Agnes Steamboat Springs, CO
Duane Raleigh, Publisher/Editor in Chief Big Stone Publishing Carbondale, CO
Peter Metcalf, President and CEO Black Diamond Equipment Salt Lake City, UT
Scott McVay Bobster Poway, CA
Bronwen Lodato Bronwen Jewelry San Francisco, CA
Jesse Mattner CAMP Broomfield, CO
Ken Meidell Cascade Designs, Inc. Seattle, WA
Sierra Norton Chico Bag Chico, CA
Elysa Hammond, CEO Clif Bar & Company Berkeley, CA
Andy Tepper Clik Elite St. George, UT
Steve Sullivan, CEO Cloudveil Mountain Works Jackson, WY
Lanette Fidrych, President Cycle Dog Portland, OR
Kara Weld Immersion Research Confluence, PA
Jeff Ivarson Ivar San Rafael, CA
Steve Rendle JanSport VF Outdoor San Leandro, CA
Scott Reffsin John Deere New York, NY
Linda Tom Keen Portland, OR
Michael Duffy Kokatat Arcata, CA
Sam Krieg Krieg Climbing Pocatello, ID
Laura Fryer La Sportiva Boulder, CO
Jordan Phillips Mission Playground Petaluma, CA
W. Beatty Jackson Mooseworks Knoxville, TN
Noah Robertson, CEO Mountain Khakis Jackson, WY
Jeff "Beaver" Theodosakis, CEO prAna Living, LLC Vista, CA
Tammy Tramble Precidio Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Mark Reed, CEO Prism Designs Inc Seattle, WA
Brian Day Pyranha Kayak Asheville, NC
Steve Flagg, Owner and President Quality Bicycle Products Bloomington, MN
Michael Collins REI Kent, WA
Greg Freyberg Ruff Wear Bend, OR
Shayla Swanson Sauce Headwear Bozeman, MT
Gary Ryan Scarpa North America Boulder, CO
Mike Sinyard, President Specialized Bicycles Morgan Hill, CA
Stan Day, President and CEO SRAM Corp Chicago, IL
Michele Flamer Stewart-Stand Brooklyn, NY
Lisa Branner Venture Snowboards Silverton, CO
Ashley Korenblat, President Western Spirit Cycling Moab, UT | Andrew Mattox Alpacka Raft LLC Mancos, CO Tom Duguid Arc'teryx Equipment North Vancouver, BC, Canada
Richard Dash Dash Hemp Santa Cruz, CA
David Clifford David Clifford Photography Carbondale, CO
Peter Worley, President, Teva/Simple Deckers Outdoor Goleta, CA
Joe Osborne Deuter USA, Inc Niwot, CO
Dave Ritchie D-fa-Dog Wanaka, New Zealand
Steve Rendle Eagle Creek VF Outdoor Carlsbad, CA
Will Manzer, CEO Eastern Mountain Sports Peterborough, NH
Buck Branson evolv Climbing Buena Park, CA
Stacey Edgar Global Girlfriend Littleton, CO
Dana Donley Morton GoLite Boulder, CO
Rain Lipson Green Label Organic Floyd, VA
Hal Arenson Horny Toad/Nau Portland, OR
Stacy Manosh Johnson Woolen Mills Johnson, VT
Jeff Cunningham K2 Sports Seattle, WA
Teresa Delfin, Proprietor Mountain Mama Ontario, CA
Thomas C. Kiernan, President National Parks Conservation Association Washington, DC
April Femrite Naturally Bamboo Mankato, MN
Tom Barney, CEO Osprey Cortez, CO
Adam Cramer Outdoor Alliance Washington, DC
Frank Hugelmeyer, President Outdoor Industry Association Boulder, CO
Christian Folk Outdoor Research Seattle, WA
Jonathan Farnsworth Parle Your Style Pocatello, ID
Yvon Chouinard, CEO Patagonia Ventura, CA
Brad Werntz Pemba Serves Madison, WI
John Evans Petzl Clearfield, UT
Karen Burke Picnic at Ascot Hawthorne, CA
Doug Jackson, President Storm Creek Hastings, MN
Dan Theade Street Strider Carson City, NV
Mike Herlinger Sun Valley Natural Products Sun Valley, ID
Sky George Tarma Designs Macon, GA
Steve Rendle, President The North Face VF Outdoor San Leandro, CA
John Burke, President and CEO Trek Bicycles Waterloo, WI
Lisa Branner Venture Snowboards Silverton, CO
Erez Toker, President Vessel Drinkware Seattle, WA
Dave Pegg, Founder Wolverine Publishing Silt, CO
Ashley Cameron Zipfy Oakville, ON, Canada
|
Keep reading...Show less
NPCA is a non-profit, private organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing the U.S. National Park System.
LATEST NEWS
Average SNAP Recipient to See 61% Aid Cut—and Millions Will Lose All Benefits—Under Trump Plan
The Trump administration "has once again gone out of its way to inflict further harm on low-income families," said the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Nov 06, 2025
The average recipient of federal food aid will see a massive 61% benefit cut this month—and millions will lose November benefits entirely—under the Trump administration's plan to only partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as the government remains shut down.
That's according to an analysis published Wednesday by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), which found that the expected 61% benefit cut exceeds what's necessary to keep November SNAP spending within the limits of the program's contingency fund.
The think tank said that roughly 1.2 million low-income US households with around 5 million people will receive no benefits at all this month because the across-the-board benefit cut is larger than their typical monthly benefit. The average SNAP recipient receives around $180 per month, or approximately $6 daily.
"Nearly 5.4 million households with one or two members will receive a minimum benefit of $12 for November," CBPP added. "This appears to violate SNAP's regulations, which require these households to receive the typical minimum benefit of $24 unless benefits are cancelled, suspended entirely, or reduced by more than 90%."
"By cutting benefits even more deeply than necessary, the administration—which previously argued (contrary to federal law and the administration's own prior practice) that SNAP's contingency funds aren't legally available to cover regular benefits—has once again gone out of its way to inflict further harm on low-income families," the think tank added.
"There is no excuse that justifies the administration delaying the release of benefits and then choosing not to utilize every resource available to provide full benefits."
The new analysis was released after President Donald Trump sparked confusion and outrage with a Truth Social post earlier this week threatening to defy court orders and withhold SNAP funding entirely until the end of the government shutdown, which is now the longest in US history.
The White House later insisted that the administration is complying with court directives, but advocates and Democratic lawmakers have denounced the partial SNAP funding plan outlined by the US Department of Agriculture as badly inadequate—particularly as families are also facing unprecedented cuts to Medicaid benefits and Affordable Care Act premium hikes stemming from congressional Republicans' refusal to extend subsidies.
"There is no excuse that justifies the administration delaying the release of benefits and then choosing not to utilize every resource available to provide full benefits to the 42 million people who rely on SNAP to put food on the table," said Crystal FitzSimons, president of the Food Research & Action Center. "The decision to provide only partial benefits forces state agencies to scramble under unclear guidance, which will further delay benefits."
"It also means that families are missing out on much needed nutrition support," FitzSimons said. "Enough time has already been lost—the funds must be released immediately to avert further harm, chaos, and confusion."
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) wrote Thursday that "families can't pay half of the bill at the grocery store or make half of a meal to feed their kids."
"Americans deserve their full SNAP benefits," Jayapal added.
Keep ReadingShow Less
ICE Raid at Chicago Daycare Condemned as 'Domestic Terrorism'
ICE, said one organizer, "should rightly be called child abusers."
Nov 06, 2025
A parent at Rayito de Sol, a Spanish immersion daycare center in North Center, Chicago, summarized what took place there Wednesday when armed immigration agents entered the facility and arrested one of the childcare providers.
"What has happened today is domestic terrorism," said Maria Guzman said at a press conference held by federal and local lawmakers and "traumatized" members of the community. "It is a violation of our rights, it is a violation of these children's rights, it is a violation of these teachers' rights, who have a right to work in this country and care for our most vulnerable kids."
Guzman spoke alongside Democratic US Reps. Mike Quigley and Delia Ramirez, who represent communities in the Rayito de Sol vicinity, after at least three armed federal agents arrived at the center at about 7:00 am Wednesday when the worker, Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano, was arriving at work along with parents and children.
Alderman Matt Martin told Block Club Chicago that the agents had followed Galeano to her job and chased her into the building, where they "tore her away" from the children and pushed her coworkers as they tried to intervene. They then dragged her outside with her hands pulled behind her back, before at least one agent reentered the building and, according to Ramirez, went from room to room and demanded to see evidence that other teachers were legal residents.
It appears ICE agents are targeting preschools in Chicago today.
One woman was dragged out of Rayito de Sol Spanish Immersion Preschool on West Addison, while a father was reportedly taken from the Rayito de Sol Immersion Preschool on West Montrose, as he was dropping off his… pic.twitter.com/IwTjwSuWVa
— Jesus Freakin Congress (@TheJFreakinC) November 5, 2025
Galeano's arrest and the raid took place in front of children and parents. The center closed for the day as other teachers expressed fears about coming to work.
"This is what's happening right now via that force of terror called Homeland Security under [Secretary] Kristi Noem," said Ramirez. "I went into the daycare this morning as part of rapid response and I see teachers, I see parents crying. They're wondering, how could it be that the place where I send my children for eight hours when I go to work has been broken into by these masked agents with guns, running through the daycare?"
It was a hard day here in Chicago with ICE targeting a day care center. I wanted to take a moment to talk about it. pic.twitter.com/RCTKyYwJYY
— Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (@repdeliaramirez) November 6, 2025
Parents and officials said Galeano, who has children of her own, has permits to work in the US.
At the press conference, Quigley demanded Galeano's release and condemned President Donald Trump for ending protections that had been in place under the Biden administration which kept US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from conducting enforcement operations at schools, daycares, churches, hospitals, and shelters. He rejected claims by Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin that the agency "did not target a daycare."
"They can say they aren’t targeting a daycare, but that’s where they were this morning,” Quigley said. “They’re supposed to be going after the 'worst of the worst,' if they’re now trying to tell us that what’s left of the worst of the worst is someone with papers who’s educating kids at a daycare, then I think everything they say comes into question.”
"We need ICE out of our schools and out of Chicago!" added Quigley.
Jonathan Cohn, political director of Progressive Mass, said ICE "should be rightly called child abusers" for conducting a raid while children were present.
"It's bad on its own for its brutality toward adults, but they are traumatizing kids," he said.
Rayito de Sol parents organized a GoFundMe fundraiser to help with Galeano's legal fees; as of Thursday morning it had raised more than $64,000.
Alderperson Andre Vasquez called on all community leaders to join in local grassroots efforts to fight against ICE's raids across the Chicago area, in which the Department of Homeland Security has said more than 1,500 people have been detained since the Trump administration began its mass deportation campaign in the city, "Operation Midway Blitz."
After ICE agents raided a Chicago day care Wednesday morning and arrested a teacher that has citizenship documents, Alderperson Andre Vasquez says the city doesn't have time to wait for elections to fix the Trump administration's chaos and calls for Chicagoans to act now.
"We're… pic.twitter.com/gboYLpoSWu
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) November 5, 2025
"We're all crossing our fingers and hoping for elections to change things, but we don't have that time right now," said Vasquez. "If you're anybody here in the city of Chicago and you don't have a whistle around your neck and you're not out here doing school patrol, please find time to do so. We need everyone here."
Keep ReadingShow Less
'Blunt Corruption': Trump DOJ Hands Google an Antitrust Win After Tech Giant's Ballroom Donation
Alphabet, Google's parent company, is contributing $22 million to the president's ballroom project.
Nov 06, 2025
The US Justice Department has reportedly given the tech behemoth Alphabet a green light to acquire the cybersecurity firm Wiz after it was revealed that the Google parent company donated to President Donald Trump's $300 million ballroom project.
The merger deal is valued at over $30 billion and would mark Alphabet's largest acquisition to date, even as the company faces antitrust cases at the state and federal level. Wiz CEO Assaf Rappaport announced the Justice Department's decision on Wednesday at an event hosted by the Wall Street Journal.
The DOJ approval came after Bloomberg reported in June that the Justice Department's antitrust arm was reviewing whether Alphabet's acquisition of Wiz would illegally undermine competition. The following month, the Justice Department ousted two of its top antitrust officials amid internal conflict over shady corporate settlement deals.
Lee Hepner, an antitrust attorney and senior legal counsel for the American Economic Liberties Project, called the DOJ's clearing of Alphabet's Wiz acquisition "the kind of blunt corruption that most won't notice."
Hepner observed that news of the approval came shortly after the White House released a list of individuals and corporations that have pumped money into Trump's gaudy ballroom project. Google—which also donated to Trump's inauguration—was one of the prominent names on the list, alongside Amazon, Apple, and other major corporations.
Google is reportedly funneling $22 million to the ballroom project.
"These giant corporations aren't funding the Trump ballroom debacle out of a sense of civic pride," Robert Weissman, co-president of the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, said earlier this week. "They have massive interests before the federal government and they undoubtedly hope to curry favor with, and receive favorable treatment from, the Trump administration."
"Millions to fund Trump's architectural whims are nothing compared to the billions at stake in procurement, regulatory, and enforcement decisions," he added.
According to a Public Citizen report published Monday, two-thirds of the 24 known corporate donors to Trump's ballroom project—including Google—are beneficiaries of recent government contracts.
Keep ReadingShow Less
Most Popular