Report: Trump Administration Muzzles National Park Service

The Trump administration will not allow the National Park Service to tell Congress about its concerns over NRA-backed legislation to restrict the agency from regulating hunting and fishing within park boundaries, the McClatchy newspaper group's Washington bureau reports.

A memo written by National Park Service Acting Director Michael Reynolds expressing concerns about the "Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act" had major portions crossed off by the U.S. Department of Interior's Legislative Counsel, McClatchy says.

As well, park agency officials were told they could not repeat their concerns to Congress, Jeff Ruch, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, told McClatchy.

"It appears the national parks are no longer allowed to give Congress their honest views about the impacts of pending legislation," he said.

Under the bill, which has the blessing of the NRA, the National Park Service could no longer regulate the hunting of bears and wolves in Alaska wildlife preserves, including the practice of killing bear cubs in their dens.

The agency also would be prevented from regulating commercial and recreational fishing in parks boundaries from commenting on development projects that could affect the parks.

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