OIA and NPS Jointly Announce New Management Policy Draft

Outdoor Industry Association President Frank Hugelmeyer joined U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne today at a press conference announcing a vastly improved draft of the National Park Service’s management policies. The NPS management policies provide guidance to NPS employees on a broad spectrum of park issues. The NPS began rewriting the management policies last summer and since have received more than 50,000 comments on the initial draft.

Outdoor Industry Association joined many other groups in expressing concerns about the initial direction of the proposed management policies. OIA President Frank Hugelmeyer said during today’s press conference that those concerns have been heard.

“OIA would like to commend Secretary Kempthorne, Director Fran Mainella and the National Park Service employees for listening to those concerns and working very hard to produce this new draft,” Hugelmeyer said. “High standards are required for National Parks. They are the crown jewels, the places that define America. Conservation must always be predominant. It is our professional responsibility as business leaders and our moral duty as Americans to leave these national treasures unimpaired for future generations.”