Retirement of Darla Sidles, Rocky Mountain National Park Superintendent

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy and retirement of Darla Sidles, the first female Superintendent of Rocky Mountain National Park.

For the last seven years, Darla has been in charge of managing and supervising all operations within Rocky Mountain National Park--the Nation's fourth busiest national park--an area I am lucky to represent in the United States Congress. Rocky Mountain National Park surpassed 4 million visitors for the first time the year before she took over, and it has exceeded 4 million almost every year since,

Darla has helped Rocky Mountain National Park navigate unprecedented challenges like record levels of visitors, the global pandemic forcing a closure of the park in 2020, and then another closure of the park that same year as a result of Colorado's two largest wildfires ripping through Rocky Mountain and burning about 10 percent of the park. Through it all she remained dedicated to improving and protecting our treasured public lands.

Darla has served at the National Park Service for 34 successful years. She has been a trusted and valued partner to my office and to the Town of Estes Park. We are sad to see Darla go, but wish her a happy retirement.

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