(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – This week, the House Appropriations Committee approved Congressman Ryan Zinke’s legislation to defund and block the vehicle reservation system at Glacier National Park (GNP). The amendment was added to the FY24 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies funding bill and will advance to a vote on the House Floor in September.
This is the most recent step of the already months-long process to remove the reservation system which started last year when Zinke began listening sessions with local residents and business owners. The process continued this April when Zinke called on the National Park Service (NPS) to open an investigation into the details of the Booz Allen contract managing recreation.gov and calling on the NPS to abandon the vehicle reservation system.
Zinke has since met with GNP Superintendent Dave Roemer several times to find alternatives to balance public access to the park experience with park preservation by implementing trail density technology systems, public transportation options, and pulling back time of day restrictions for locals without a vehicle reservation.
Timeline:
- March 3 – Zinke raises concern on reservation system.
- April 6 – bombshell report by the Wall Street Journal detailing a $140 million contract with a defense contractor to run recreation.gov.
- April 11 – Glacier National Park Superintendent Dave Roemer.
- April 11 – Zinke meets with Glacier-area elected officials and business stakeholders.
- April 11 – Zinke calls for investigation into recreation.gov.
- May 10 – Zinke introduces bill to improve collaboration between parks, gateway communities.
- July 6 – Zinke revisits Glacier Park to meet with Superintendent Roemer.
- July 19 – House Appropriations vote to pass language defunding and blocking the reservation system.
In addition to defunding and blocking the reservation system,, Zinke was able to secure more than a dozen policy victories for Montana in the Interior appropriations bill, to include:
- Delisting the Greater Yellowstone Grizzly Bear.
- Ending sue, settle and seal.
- Restricting funds for WOTUS.
- Full funding for Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT).
- Defunding DOI’s Interagency Bison Working Group.
- Blocking the introduction of Bison on the CMR Wildlife refuge.
- Blocking the Biden Administration’s ban on lead ammunition and Tackle on wildlife refuges.
- Defunding EPA rules that would result in the early shutdown of Colstrip and raise energy costs for Montanans.
- Increasing funding for Wildland firefighters.
- Cut spending without putting the burden on tribes.
- Prohibiting funds for listing gray wolves on the ESA.
