FOR MMC
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tom Tiffany (WI-07) on July 23, 2024, introduced the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act. This legislation would re-designate the Apostle Islands from a National Lakeshore to a National Park. The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands, chaired by Rep. Tiffany, on July 24 held a hearing on this legislation.
“Know as the crown jewel of Wisconsin, the Apostle Island National Lakeshore is truly an unrivaled destination that is more than worthy of being elevated to a crown jewel of the National Park system,” Congressman Tiffany testified during the July 24 hearing. “The Apostle Islands are rich in natural, cultural, and historic resources. Comprised of 21 islands and 12 miles of mainland shore on Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin, the Apostle Islands contain numerous scenic cliff formations and arches, sea caves, and sandy beaches. From abundant forests and fisheries to dramatic cliffs and caves, there’s truly no place in America like the Apostle Islands. This area also contains a collection of underwater shipwrecks and what the National Park Service calls the largest and finest collection of lighthouses in the country.”
“My legislation is very straightforward,” Tiffany continued. “It would simply re-designate the majority of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore into the Apostle Islands National Park. My bill also maintains the heritage of hunting within the Apostle Islands by designating Sand Island – a popular hunting destination – as the Sand Island National Preserve. Protecting hunting access is paramount to me as the chairman of this subcommittee, and we worked for over a year with local stakeholders to ensure that active hunting locations were not harmed by this bill.”
“Further, my legislation directs the National Park Service to enhance interpretive [signage] within the Apostle Islands to include more information about the area’s rich fur trade, logging, and fishing industries. This information will also honor the Ojibwa tribes, the original inhabitants of the Apostle Islands, who have called the area home for centuries.”
“While this legislation was just introduced, it reflects an effort that has been several decades in the making,” Tiffany further testified. “In 1930, nearly a century ago, Congress first authorized a study to designate the Apostle Islands as a National Park. Roughly forty years later, President John F. Kennedy described the islands as part of our American heritage, and the area was designated as a National Lakeshore. Now, by elevating the Apostle Islands from a National Lakeshore to a National Park, we can ensure that thousands more are able to visit this area. It is my hope that many more will be able to experience this hidden gem once the Apostle Islands are designated as Wisconsin’s first National Park.”
Rep. Tiffany also submitted 21 letters from various communities, locally-elected leaders, and local business organizations in support of his proposed bill.
“The designation of the Apostle Islands as a National Park will have a positive impact on our local economy, bringing more visitors to the area who contribute to local businesses,” State Sen. Romaine Quinn (R-Cameron) testified. “Increased tourism will create new job opportunities, stimulate economic growth, and support the livelihoods of many residents in the Bayfield area and beyond. A National Park Service study found that communities within 60 miles of a National Park saw an average increase in tourism spending by 14 percent, with related job growth of 11 percent.”
Specifically, this legislation would elevate the current National Lakeshore – first established in 1970 – to National Park status without altering its existing boundaries. The Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act would also designate Sand Island as a National Preserve to maintain existing hunting access.
This would not be the first time a National Lakeshore became a National Park. In 2019, Indiana Dunes, once a National Lakeshore, was designated as a National Park. While our neighboring states of Minnesota, Michigan, and Indiana all enjoy National Parks, Wisconsin does not yet have one.