U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski was honored today by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) for her support for protecting public lands. The National Park Heritage Award commemorates Murkowski for including national park legislation in a bipartisan lands package she negotiated on the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The lands package, which Murkowski shepherded through Congress as the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, allowed for the largest expansion of the National Park System in nearly three decades.

“After months of persistence and hard work crafting this bipartisan legislative package, I’m proud that we were able find the right balance between conservation and ensuring western states have opportunities for economic and community development,” Murkowski said. “We have a world-class national park system and I’m proud to celebrate our public lands.”

The NDAA bill passed by the 113th Congress included more than a dozen park bills, including the creation of seven new parks from Pennsylvania to Oregon. The lands package also released 110,000 acres of public lands to communities for economic development.

“Congress can strike a path forward on measured conservation proposals when they are properly balanced with legislation that addresses the development and recreational needs of our communities in the West. This is particularly important in states that have a high percentage of their land under federal ownership,” Murkowski said.

The National Parks Conservation Association is an independent, nonpartisan group that works to protect and enhance America's national parks.