Margaret Everson is getting settled at the National Park Service/DOI
Margaret Everson, the National Park Service's latest acting director, made some get-to-know-you calls with staff and superintendents last week, and told the Washington headquarters staff she has no immediate plans to shake up the agency while she focuses on its budget and addressing the Park Service's backlog through the Great American Outdoors Act.
"She said she doesn't want to change things right away, keep the structure in place for now, but look at some changes over time," said one staffer.
Everson appeared on the Park Service scene on August 7 when, insiders say, David Vela was told his stint as acting director was over and it might be best if he retired. Everson, had been working as principal deputy director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a role that had her serving for a while as that agency's acting director. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt also refers to Everson as his legal counselor.
During her video call with the headquarters staff, Everson mentioned that she was pleased to see how well the offices were functioning, a comment that didn't sit well with everyone as it seemed to convey a sense of surprise that the staff "carries on and runs the agency well, despite their worst efforts to screw the American people out of the protections that we are entrusted to carry out."
Everson also had a call with the Park Service's superintendents and regional directors last week, but didn't indicate what her marching orders were. The general impression was that "she said nothing."
There's a move in Congress to have all Confederate statues removed from the National Park System, including this one of Stonewall Jackson at Manassas National Battlefield Park/Kurt Repanshek file
Confederate Statues
While the National Park Service largely has avoided the backlash against Confederate statues, outside of a few acts of vandalism at such parks as Antietam National Battlefield and Fort Donelson National Battlefield, there is legislation moving in Congress that would require the agency to remove Confederate statues from its parks.
Legislation to fund the State Department carries the following provisions:
Funding prohibition for Confederate flags
Sec. 441. None of the funds made available to the National Park Service by this Act may be used for the purchase or display of a Confederate flag with the exception of specific circumstances where the flags provide historical context as described in the National Park Service memorandum entitled ‘‘Immediate Action Required, No Reply Needed: Confederate Flags’’ and dated June 24, 2015.
Removal of Confederate commemorative works
Sec. 442. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or policy to the contrary, within 180 days of enactment of this Act, the National Park Service shall remove from display all physical Confederate commemorative works, such as statues, monuments, sculptures, memorials, and plaques, as defined by NPS, Management Policies 2006, §9.6.1.
Inventory of assets with Confederate names
Sec. 443. Within 90 days of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations an inventory of all assets under the jurisdiction of the Department of Interior with Confederate names.
Some visitors to Cape Cod National Seashore want more ORV access/NPS
ORVs at Cape Cod National Seashore
At least several hundred visitors to Cape Cod National Seashore want to see more ORV access to the seashore. A petition started by Ryan Bailey, who has been vacationing at the seashore for more than a decade, calls for the seashore "to allow ORV access again so we all can continue to make great memories with our families on those beautiful beaches.”
Bailey was closing in on 350 signatures last Thursday, and planned to present the petition to park staff once he reached that number.
While there are corridors at the seashore that allow ORV travel, they have not been fully open in recent years, in part due to shorebird nesting, Cape Cod Superintendent Brian Carlstrom told the Cape Cod Times.
Bailey and others told the newspaper they think the nesting issue is an easy excuse the seashore can use to keep the routes closed.
“The seashore is in a difficult position,” Bob Long, president of the Massachusetts Beach Buggy Association, told the newspaper. “They don’t have the resources available to towns, and they have a whole set of guidelines they must follow.”
Still, Long added that public education and awareness can help ORV enthusiasts gain more room to roam in the seashore.
Comments
There's stuff to unpack here. The article "muses" that "insiders" say, "David Vela was told his stint as acting director was over and it might be best if he retired." So, we're less than three months away from a national election, less than six months away from a probable change of party control, and Representative Swalwell is already pledging that he will push for a formal Presidential Crimes Commission, presumably composed of a small army independent prosectutors, to examine the activities, not just of the White House, but also those of all of the administration's "enablers" over the past four or so years. I can see, given this situation, why Vela might just as soon head to the exit a bit early; however, is there any more definite information/confirmation on why Secretary Barnyard would expend the effort to make a last minute change in a political appointee position so close to the end?
It's already known that Everson has been involved in Secretary Barnyard's legal machinations over fish and wildlife issues and the article mentions Barnyard referring to her "as his legal counselor" even now; but, is that really the reason why a lawyer with little to no experience at this level in the NPS is being hurriedly promoted to be in charge of the NPS, again at the last minute? Is she going to be focused on the NPS or on being Barnyard's "fixer" over the last six months? Is Barnyard up to something or is he just preparing for subpoenas to come? And, why would Everson agree to a temporary last minute appointment that will taint her for the future and make her a target? Is there a "golden parachute" in the picture?
I am not sure of the sources you have for the phone calls the Acting Director held with the Superintendents last week but are were many who have an entirely different impression from the interaction. Many staff have learned during this 3 plus year run is you can't paint everyone with the same broad brush to fit some sort of pre-conceived narrative. Many found thei interaction refreshing and believe there is a willingness to listen - rather than what tends to happen with recent career Directors (including Actings) who already beleive he/she has all the answers and is less open to receiving input.
The comments from the Coalition of Retirees get a bit old. Maybe some of them should really retire already!
Lots to be concerned about with this administration, but taking offense that the new acting NPS director gave a compliment seems like a bit of a stretch.
As another who was on the call with the New Acting Assistant Director-exercising authority-I found her call, while short on specifics, also refreshingly short on canned platitudes and officially sanctioned admin speak. Have no idea if she will accomplish anything in the next few months but i got a positive first opinion. Also -Humphrey-please don't stoop to the Trump level of derogatory name calling. Many of us disagree strongly with the Secretary's views and actions-but the name calling makes you sound like a Trumpster.
Well, Ranger1, you saw the same article that I did. It was clearly trying to alert the public to reports that Secretary Bernhardt has preemptively ousted another career NPS professional in order to jump ranks and promote "his legal counselor" on top of and in charge of a veritable army of more qualified professionals that stand ready and waiting to move up and already have career experience in the NPS. The specifically article alerts you to reports that Secretary Bernhardt has unceremoniously and disrespectfully shown David Vela, who you claim as one of your professional colleagues, the door, just like Bernhardt's predecessor did with Dan Wenk, in order to replace him with another one of Bernhardt's "part of the gang" staff lawyers.
Everson can't even claim anywhere close to career time in public service. Correct me if I'm misinformed; but, it's my understanding that, prior to August 7th, she could claim NO TIME IN SERVICE with the NPS, none, zippo, nada! She is actually just another one of Bernhardt's mob, a political crony who has spent more time as a glorified lobbyist and political hack than even as a real lawyer, and, yet, Secretary Bernhardt promoted her ahead of you, NPS for Life, SteveParks99, and the rest of that aforementioned army of more qualified professionals that stand ready and waiting to move up and already have career experience in the NPS. If Margaret Everson had any character other than bad, she would have recognized the embarrassing absurdity of the situation and declined the appointment!
And, this is not the only, not even the first, time Bernhardt or his predecessor have pulled this kind of improper stunt. As examples, let's not forget Daniel Smith, who Zinke made acting NPS Director despite a freshly inked IG report citing Smith's record of undue and corrupt interference in NPS decisions. Admittedly, Everson's credentials may actually be better than Smith's were; however, there is also the infamous case of Edward Keable, another of Bernhardt's personal legal counselors that Bernhardt brought in and put on the DOI payroll. Bernhardt made Keable the superintendent at Grand Canyon just as a legal battle over foreign real estate developers starting heating up at Tusayan. Keable's appointment as a superintendent despite his having no park management experience whatsoever was scandalously improper and downright corrupt under the circumstances; however, in hindsight, Keable actually had better qualifications than Everson and he only got a nice superintendent's position. Everson gets to be the Director.
And, let's not forget that we're talking about the same Bernhardt who is desperately trying to open protected lands in the Alaskan Arctic to oil and gas drilling before the clock runs out in January. He's a horrible excuse for a cabinet secretary, especially one with control over the DOI.
Yet, do you know what really chaps my cheeks? It's the fact that, despite all of this, the insult to Vela, the insult to all of you, and the just flat out corruption and impropriety of it all, you, NPS for Life, SteveParks99, and the rest of your NPS colleagues can't find enough intestinal fortitude to do more than praise Everson for not bashing you out loud during her call. And, then you defend her, directly and indirectly, by whining about 1) me, 2) my contempt for Bernhardt, 3) what you seem to see as Kurt Repanshek's attitude, and 4) what old Phil Francis said. It's no wonder Bernhardt gets away with treating you so disrepectfully.