President Donald Trump has nominated for director of the National Park Service an executive from a hospitality company that holds extensive contracts with the agency he would lead.
The nomination of Scott Socha late Wednesday follows widespread firings within the Park Service as part of efforts by Trump's Republican administration to sharply reduce its size. The administration also has faced blowback for the removal or planned removal of national park exhibits about slavery, climate change and the destruction of Native American culture.
Administration officials have said they are removing "disparaging" messages under an order last year from Trump. Critics accuse it of trying to whitewash the nation's history.
Socha is a president for parks and resorts at Delaware North, which describes itself as one of the world's largest privately owned hospitality and entertainment companies, with more than $4 billion in revenue in 2022. The company provides hospitality services in at least six national parks, including Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Shenandoah, said spokesperson Cait Zulewski.
The Buffalo, New York-based company has more than 40,000 employees, according to its website. Socha has been with it since 1999 and will continue in his role there while his nomination is pending, Zulewski said.
The Senate must confirm Socha's nomination.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said Socha was “totally qualified” to execute Trump’s plans for the park system.
“Scott looks forward to implementing America First initiatives, such as increasing park access for American families, reducing permitting burdens, and raising money for conservation projects,” she said.
Trump last year proposed cutting the Park Service's $2.9 billion operating budget by more than $900 million. Park supporters and former employees said that would effectively gut the agency.
The cuts were blocked by lawmakers in Congress who recently voted to keep the service's budget at about the same amount as the last two years. However the parks already lost almost a quarter of their employees, or more than 4,000 positions, due to firings and other changes since Trump took office, according to the National Parks Conservation Association, an advocacy group.
Association director Theresa Pierno said Thursday it was ready to work with Socha, but he must reverse course on recent policies. The Park Service has gone more than a year without a confirmed director.
“If confirmed, he must put the Park Service’s mission first, stand up for park staff, fill critical vacancies and halt attacks on our nation’s history,” Pierno said. “Given Mr. Socha’s years of experience working with the Park Service, we hope he will be that leader.”