Tom Carper, U.S. Senator for Delaware

Delaware National Park Frequently Asked Questions

Home / Issues / Priorities for Delaware / First State National Historical Park Act of 2013 / Delaware National Park Frequently Asked Questions
Why should Delaware have a national park? What would be the theme of our national park?

Every year, millions of Americans plan their vacations around our nation's national park system learning about our nation's historic and cultural heritage, as well as our natural environment. Delaware may be small, but our little state was crucial to the birth of this great nation. Unfortunately, our story is not being told. A national park would bring in federal dollars to help preserve our important history, as well as bring in millions of dollars in added tourism. In 2009, every state in the nation except Delaware received a minimum of $1.1 million in economic benefits from national park tourism in their state; most states received economic benefits several times that amount. Given that reality, Delaware can't afford to not have a national park.

A national park must tell a unique story, not being told anywhere else in the country. Delaware has a unique story. The First State National Historical Park Act of 2011 would create a park celebrating early American Dutch, Swedish and English Settlements located throughout Delaware, and Delaware's role in the events leading up to the signing of our Constitution. Not only will the Delaware national park tell an important story, but it will tell the story at a low cost to the taxpayer. The National Park Service estimates the Delaware national park will be one of the lowest costing national parks in the country.

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Which sites will be considered to be included in the Delaware National Park?

New Castle County:

  • The Old Sheriff's House
  • Fort Christina
  • Old Swedes Church
  • Old New Castle Courthouse

Kent County:

  • John Dickinson Plantation
  • Dover Green

Sussex County:

  • Ryves Holt House
These are the only sites that can be considered for inclusion in the park. However, the National Park Service is authorized to work with any site in Delaware within the park's theme, but not in the boundary, to be included in national park materials, tours, etc. return to top
Do property managers of the sites listed above have any options - or is the federal government just going to take over their property?

A site can be donated or sold to the National Park Service - or parties can negotiate a cooperative agreement. In a cooperative agreement, a site owner would still retain ownership, but would come to a resolution with the National Park Service regarding historical upkeep, management and public access. In this type of an arrangement, the federal government would only be able to provide up to 50 percent of operation and maintenance costs. Cooperative agreements are almost always easements and, therefore, would carry over to any new owner if the property needed to be sold in the future.

Authorization does not mean the site has to be included within the park - it just gives the National Park Service the authority to negotiate sites now or in the future. An owner of a site can reject an offer from the Park Service if the owner cannot come to an agreement with the Park Service that meets their needs.

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What is a General Management Plan? What input will the local community have on the decisions and future operations of the new national park?

The National Park Service, in coordination with the public, develops a General Management Plan (GMP) to help answer the question, "What kind of place do we want this park to be?" The National Park Service is required by law to ensure that the direction established by the GMP is developed in consultation with all interested stakeholders, including private citizens, organizations and state and local governments. It usually takes the National Park Service two to three years to develop a GMP. All through the process, the public will have an ability to weigh in through mail, email and public forums.

With public input, a team of National Park Service planners and natural and cultural resource specialists put together a twenty-year plan that provides a framework for managers to use in making decision about:

  • how best to protect resources;
  • what levels and types of uses are appropriate;
  • what facilities should be developed;
  • how sites will be identified; and
  • how people should access the park.
The National Park Service will also put together six-year strategic plans and annual performance plans to provide the basis for budgeting and operations. The public can also comment during this process. return to top
Where will the headquarters be located? Will there be National Park Service staff in Delaware?
The National Park Service is considering the Old Sheriff's House as the headquarters of the park, and National Park Service employees will likely be located at the headquarters. The number of employees and the final destination of headquarters will be decided by the National Park Service in the General Management Plan. return to top
If Delaware gets a national park, will the fedearl government limit my access to the beaches? Will the federal government take over my town?
Beach access will not be limited in any way due to this national park. The federal government will not be taking over any town in Delaware and full federal ownership of any site in Delaware is expected to be limited. Only the sites authorized for consideration for inclusion in the national park - the Old Sheriff's House, Fort Christina, Old Swedes Church, Old New Castle Courthouse, John Dickinson Plantation, Dover Green and the Ryves Holt House - would potentially be owned by the federal government. However, it is expected that most owners of these sites will opt to keep ownership and will only enter into a cooperative agreement with the federal government. return to top
What is the bill number and how can one track the legislation? What are the steps left to actually having a national park?

The Senate bill number is S.323 and the House Bill is H.R.624. The First State National Historical Park Act of 2011 must first pass out of the Committees of jurisdiction, which are the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee. Then the legislation must pass the full Senate and the full House of Representatives before the President can sign the authorizing bill into law. Once the legislation has been signed into law, the National Park Service will begin developing the park's General Management Plan and begin discussions with owners of sites designated to be in the park. The Secretary of Interior will designate a national park in Delaware once he has determined the National Park Service has ownership or interest in enough sites to constitute a manageable park unit.

You can track the First State National Park Historical Park Act of 2011 on Senator Carper's website: http://carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/sponsoredbills.

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How does this new proposal differ from the last proposal?
We have made some changes to the legislation for this Congress to reflect input from a Senate legislative hearing, relevant Committee staff, this Administration's Park Service and, you, our stakeholders back home. The theme and the story of the proposed national park is still the same. return to top