By Rachel Cohen, KUNC
President Donald Trump has tapped a longtime parks concession executive to lead the National Park Service (NPS).
The White House sent Scott Socha's nomination to the Senate earlier this week. Socha oversees the parks and resorts division for Delaware North, a Buffalo, N.Y.-based hospitality company. He's worked there since 1999, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Delaware North holds multiple contracts with the National Park Service, operating 11 general stores in Yellowstone National Park and running a hotel, RV park and dining hall at the Grand Canyon National Park. Its portfolio also includes lodging and guiding businesses on the outskirts of parks, such as the Holiday Inn in Estes Park, Colo. and a tour company in West Yellowstone, Mont.
In 2015, the company launched a legal battle with the NPS over trademark claims in Yosemite National Park, which the parties later settled.
Some park advocates said Socha's direct experience working with the agency could be an asset.
"He does have a sense and an understanding of these places, and concessioners are an important partner in our national parks, providing those services," said Emily Douce, the deputy vice president for government affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association. "So we're hopeful, and we look forward to getting to know him and stand ready to work with him closely."
Emily Thompson, executive director of the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks, agreed, but urged senators to closely vet Socha's nomination.
"To ensure that any conflicts of interest can be set aside and that we can make sure that the protection of the mission of the national park system, the protection of irreplaceable resources, and support for NPS employees, is in the forefront," she said.
The National Park Service has been without a Senate-confirmed director since the start of Trump's term.
"We need leadership to come in and reverse course on this damage and put parks back as a priority to protect our national treasures," said Douce.
Advocates said the nomination comes at a critical time for the agency. In the past year, the Park Service has lost roughly a quarter of its permanent staff, faced budget cuts and undergone changes to how history is displayed in some parks.
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