Impacts of proposed NPS and USFS staff changes on RMNP

[Dan Denning]

Hi Kyle and Superintendent Ingram,

I'm not sure if today is a Federal holiday or not. But I thought I'd ask if you can provide the public or the press any clarity on actual impacts of the proposed job cuts at the National Park Service and Department of Interior on operations at RMNP right now, or later in the spring.

I haven't seen any reporting on what the actual cuts are. And the reporting I have seen has said there's been no official communication from NPS officials either. Perhaps that is because it's not clear yet. Or perhaps, at the local level, you already do have some insight into actual effects.

I use the word 'actual' because I've seen a lot of social media posts that seem to me to be alarmist and/or 'worst-case' speculations on what 'might' happen. Those don't seem useful to me, especially in the absence of any specific details about whether these are administrative job cuts or operational job cuts. 

Do you have any additional detail you could provide at this time?

And in related fashion, would reducing the number of reservations for Timed Entry, or starting the reservation period sooner in the year, be one possible policy you pursue in relation to staff cuts at NPS and DOI?

Obviously the last question is of public interest too. It may be too early for that question. 

 I'm hoping maybe DOGE can help expedite the resolution of some of the technical challenges RMNP has faced in the last year. I'm referring to the failed transponder program/software glitch and the inability to accurately measure the no-show rate on reservations sold through rec.gov.

I'm going to avail myself of the new DOGE NPS account on X to give them the public backstory on those technical challenges. Hopefully they are responsive and can get you the help you guys need! 

Look forward to hearing from you soon. I think it would greatly inform the quality of the public debate about these new policies if we had more insight into how they will affect RMNP at the operational and administrative level this year. 

All the best,

Dan

PS I know USFS is not within RMNP's jurisdiction. But given the very real concerns about fire mitigation and resource management, I included them in my question. Kyle, is there someone you know at USFS who would be better placed to answer that question on their behalf?

https://x.com/DOGE_NPS

https://x.com/DOGE_DOI

[Dan Denning]

Sorry also just one quick thing..I thought the sooner we heard from NPS and RMNP officially, the better. It would prevent any mis-information or even dis-information from circulating about what the impacts of changes to NPS and DOI staffing mean for RMNP operations in 2025. Right now there is little to NO information that I've seen.

Yet there has already been a protest organized at the Beaver Meadows entrance for later today opposing...well everything it appears. I salute and share the desire to protect our parks and preserve access to the public. But I also fear that any reporting on protests in the absence of actual facts about what's happening will not contribute to the public being better informed about what's really happening.

Thus my questions, which I hope you can find the time to respond to as soon as possible. Informed public discourse abhors an information vacuum. 

All the best,

Dan

[Gary Hall]

Dan, thanks. It's a very challenging time. I just this morning submitted an article to the local papers about some of my current understanding of impact on RMNP and the relationship to the health of Estes. I appreciate your concerns about the federal defunding and staff impact, and the resulting harm to this precious, critical resource. 

Gary M. Hall

Mayor of the Town of Estes Park

Office phone: 970-577-3706

Email: gh...@estes.org

[Dan Denning]

Thanks Mayor. I appreciate it and am looking forward to reading your article.

Just to be clear, I'm not certain there WILL be harm to the National Park because of these changes. That's mainly because I don't know what these staffing and resource changes are, or what their impact might be. Maybe other people behind the scenes DO know, which is why I asked.

It's entirely possible that reallocating resources within the National Parks might improve the visitor experience. It's also possible that some outside collaboration on technical challenges (like transponders, or accurately counting the no-show rate for Timed Entry) might help the park improve the administration of its Timed Entry program. Accurate data could ensure we're measuring visitation correctly, and make it possible for unused reservations to be re-sold on a same day basis. A truly adaptive program would always want to get better. Now is a great chance for just that.

Anyway, we'll see. But I'm a little alarmed by the social media reaction that any and all changes in the way the Park is staffed or administered would automatically be destructive of the environment. This is, by definition, an 'alarmist' view in the absence of actual facts and amounts to disinformation until we know better. It's an emotional reaction that there are people out there who want to sabotage and destroy our natural resources. Such a reaction is a little unhinged, in my view. 

Hopefully NPS can let us all know more soon about whether or how these changes will affect operations in RMNP this year. Thanks for being on top of this issue and communicative as always!

Dan

[John Meyer]

Gary, John Meyer here at the Denver Post. Did you sent that to the Post? Can you send it to me?

John Meyer, Denver Post outdoors reporter
Covering skiing, mountaineering and endurance sports since the 1980s

Email: jme...@denverpost.com
Mobile phone: 303-915-5338

Office phone: 303-954-1616 

(Please don't call office number until we're back in the office. post-pandemic)
 
Website: www.denverpost.com

Twitter: @johnmeyer

On Mon, Feb 17, 2025 at 9:57 AM Gary Hall <gh...@estes.org> wrote:

[Gary Hall]

Here's the one I just submitted, John, thanks!

Gary M. Hall

Mayor of the Town of Estes Park

Office phone: 970-577-3706

Email: gh...@estes.org