Washington, D.C. – As the Trump Administration moves to recklessly reverse a federal policy protecting America’s national parks and public lands from single-use plastics, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today reintroduced his Reducing Waste in National Parks Act. This legislation would restore a previous federal directive, which Interior Secretary Doug Burgum recently revoked, to keep plastic waste out of our national parks, defend our natural wonders, and protect wildlife.
“Oregonians and Americans love our national parks, but instead of protecting them from dangerous plastic pollution, Secretary Burgum is dead set on reopening the floodgates to plastic in our parks,” said Merkley, Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee. “Single-use plastics threaten our natural treasures and the ability of folks to enjoy their beauty. As the Trump Administration continues to recklessly endanger natural wonders and wildlife nationwide—just like during the first administration—I’ll keep fighting to protect and preserve our parks and public lands so they can be enjoyed for generations to come.”
The Reducing Waste in National Parks Act would direct the National Park Service to eliminate the sale and distribution of disposable plastic products—such as single-use plastic bottles, utensils, straws, and packaging. Former President Obama first issued federal procurement guidelines that allowed the National Park Service to ban the sale of single-use plastic water bottles. When in place, the policy had diverted between 1.3 and 2 million disposable water bottles, a savings of up to 111,743 pounds of plastic and 141 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
Joining Merkley in support of the Reducing Waste in National Parks Act are U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
A companion bill is expected to be introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-05).
Merkley is a long-time leader and fierce advocate for reducing plastic pollution. Previously, he led his Senate colleagues in pressing the National Park Service to reinstate this policy to allow parks to voluntarily establish programs to eliminate disposable plastic water bottle sales.
As former Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittee overseeing environmental justice, chemical safety, and waste management, he held a first-of-its-kind series of hearings investigating plastic production and pollution. His hearings examined: environmental and climate damage from plastics, impacts of plastics on environmental justice communities, reuse and refill systems, beverage container waste, and consumer challenges to recycling. He also leads the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, the most comprehensive plan ever introduced in Congress to address the plastic pollution crisis that is poisoning our air, water, and land and disproportionately affecting communities of color and low-income Americans.
Full text of the Reducing Waste in National Parks Act can be found by clicking here.
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