DELAWARE WATER GAP, Pa. — The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area hosts millions of people every year, and now, even more people may look to come as the Alliance for the Delaware River National Park and Lenape Preserve, a committee of the Sierra Club's Pennsylvania and New Jersey chapters, looks to re-classify it as a national park.
John Donahue is the former superintendent of the National Recreation Area and a spokesperson for the New Jersey Sierra Club.
"This place is very special. It's a sacred place for the American people, and it deserves to be one of our American cathedrals and a larger part of our American backyard," Donahue said.
This map shows how the more than 70,000-acre national recreation area would be broken up.
Donahue says 56,000 huntable acres would be the Lenape Preserve.
The remaining 9,700 would be The Delaware River National Park.
The park would straddle the river and include Dingman and Raymondskill Falls.
But Joel Penkala, who lives on the New Jersey side, doesn't think it's a good idea.
"Mr. Donahue wants to bring prestige to the area. But prestige means people, and people means a million people. You know, we're talking about a large number of people coming to the area. The environmental impact of that alone is distressing," Penkala said.
Those who oppose the idea believe the way you use the park could change.
"I see it kind of as a diversity and equity issue. Right now, you can do the most different activities in this park at the least cost," Penkala said. "I look at it and say if it becomes a park, there's going to be restrictions and more fee walls, more things that are going to restrict access to this amazing piece of ground that everyone wants to come and enjoy."
"For the average person, they may not see much change at all. You would still be able to go fishing, hiking, biking, and boating in the National Park and the Preserve. The main difference there would be that hunting would not be allowed inside the 9,700 acres of the National Park. We believe this will give us greater opportunity to advocate for more funding and to make sure that the park is prepared for more visitors," Donahue said.
National Park Service officials say no park is more protected or important than another.
We're told several factors affect a park's budget as well.
It would take an act of Congress for the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to become a National Park.
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