Amid Ongoing Immigration Fiasco on NYC National Park Land, Committee Investigates CEQ's Role in Rushed Lease Process

Letter

Regardless of personal or political beliefs on immigration or migrant policy, there is common ground in keeping our national parks--some of America's most treasured spaces--out of the debate. All national parks, whether in rural or urban areas, exist for visitors to experience wonder, to recreate and find joy, or to simply learn more about the great history of our nation. However, national parks are not a place to house people, temporarily or permanently, who lack shelter. The Governor of New York has gone on the record about the DOI's initial reluctance to accommodate the request for migrant housing on Floyd Bennett Field due to statutory restraints. We agree that there is no statutory authority to house migrants on NPS land.

Despite concerns with the legality of housing people on national park land, the Biden administration ultimately moved forward with using national park land to establish a migrant housing encampment. Alarmingly, to secure the Floyd Bennett Field (FBF) Lease, NPS requested and received alternative arrangements for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance. CEQ concurred with the alternative arrangement request and allowed NPS and DOI to bypass the standard NEPA compliance process. CEQ's approval of the alternative arrangement request was necessary for DOI and NPS to move forward with the FBF Lease. Recently, the Committee received additional information regarding CEQ's integral role in the leasing process and the ultimate decision to use Floyd Bennett Field as a migrant housing encampment.

The Committee is deeply concerned with the Biden administration leasing NPS land for use as a migrant encampment, a use that is not only inconsistent with the National Park Service Organic Act (P.L. 64-235), but publicly recognized as legally perilous by DOI. Moreover, the Committee is concerned with CEQ's role in the leasing process, approval of the alternative arrangement request, and ultimate decision to use Floyd Bennett Field for migrant housing.

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