By: Friends of the Niobrara, Inc.

Recent comments by the general manager of the Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District, Mike Murphy, who is also a member of the Niobrara Council, have raised serious concerns—and confusion—about the role of the National Park Service (NPS) along the Niobrara National Scenic River. It's time to clarify the facts.

Despite Murphy’s claims in the August 27 Valentine Midland News, the National Park Service is not closing its office in Valentine or pulling funding from its Niobrara operations. The office lease has been renewed by the General Services Administration, and NPS continues to operate with a $1.2 million annual budget.

Contrary to what Murphy suggested, funding supports far more than just staff and vehicles—it supports youth education, natural resource protection and management, public access, and public safety. It also covers projects like the 2019 renovation of the Smith Falls State Park landing—tangible improvements that benefit both residents and visitors. He should know this, as NPS provides monthly briefings at Niobrara Council meetings and maintains open lines of communication with Council members. Murphy has been a Council member for many years.

Murphy also claimed the Niobrara Council has gone without funding from the Park Service for two years. In reality, the Council received federal funding through October 2024. The only lapse—a final $20,000 payment—occurred because the Council failed to submit required paperwork on time. Federal officials confirm that new cooperative agreements are being prepared for the upcoming fiscal year once the federal budget is passed.

These claims come at a politically charged moment. A legislative study (LR158) to examine whether Nebraska should assume control of the 76-mile Niobrara corridor—a move that would push out the National Park Service as lead agency—is currently working its way through the Unicameral. That shift could jeopardize the longstanding federal support that has protected and enhanced the Niobrara Valley and subject the Scenic River to state budget constraints and local political pressures, including potential development.

The NPS, meanwhile, has remained an active and effective presence in the region. Its staff are not bound by office walls—they lead youth fishing clinics, build interpretive programs, write grants, design infrastructure, and partner with community organizations and tribes to expand public access and conserve natural resources. NPS brings resources, such as the recent development of the Valentine Trails and Greenspace master plan, to communities along the river.

The Niobrara Council receives funding to partner with NPS by assisting them in implementing the management of the Scenic River. They bring a necessary and valued landowner and community perspective to the partnership, but are not always a good partner. In one example, the Council—then chaired by Sen. Tanya Storer—declined two federal grants: one for youth fishing and another for Native American youth engagement. The Council argued that the programs didn’t align with its mission, even though its own website lists “education and interpretive programming” as core responsibilities.

In response, the Friends of the Niobrara stepped in to assist NPS. The resulting Junior Angler program has since flourished and hosts annual clinics and distributes free fishing gear. The Native youth grant led to the creation of the Voices of the Niobrara oral history project, debuting this fall with stories from ranching families, women homesteaders, Buffalo Soldiers, and traditional tribal uses of the river valley.

Meanwhile, in 2024, a state audit of the Niobrara Council revealed concerns about financial mismanagement, including questionable bonuses and leave practices. While the audit didn’t result in legal action, it did cast doubt on the Council’s ability to manage taxpayer-funded resources, including the $100,000 it receives annually through NPS, and the $50,000 it receives annually from the state of Nebraska.

At a time when the region faces mounting political and environmental pressures, the National Park Service has provided steady leadership, local engagement, and meaningful investment. As the September 19 legislative hearing for LR158 approaches, Nebraskans deserve clarity—not confusion.