Position on H.R. 3711 and H.R. 5633

H.R. 3711: Chicano Park Preservation Act – NPCA supports this bill that would direct the Department of the Interior to conduct a special resource study for Chicano Park in San Diego, California. Chicano Park preserves the country’s largest collection Hispanic heritage-related murals, sculptures, earthworks and architectural pieces. Many of the works are recognized internationally, and the County of San Diego considers it “the largest, most important collection of outdoor murals in the country.” The park itself was established through the organizing efforts of local community leaders and residents, and is a testament to the power of civic engagement. Its depictions of Hispanic American culture and history are worthy of national recognition, and a special resource study by the National Park Service, in the wake of its recent Latino American Theme Study, would help determine its appropriate affiliation within our national park system.

H.R. 5633: Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act – NPCA supports this legislation to authorize and implement a water rights compact between the Blackfeet Tribe, the state of Montana, and the United States. The settlement defines water rights previously granted by treaty, providing the Blackfeet Nation and all other water-right holders certainty about water allotment. Among the water rights settled are those of neighboring Glacier National Park, which through this settlement is granted sufficient water quantity for continued and future park operations.