U.S. Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds is asking the National Park Service for an update on efforts to address the “escalating” coastal erosion at American Memorial Park, the CNMI’s only national park.
She respectfully requested Acting NPS Director Jessica Bowron to provide the following:
• An update on any actions taken in response to the findings of the 2019 NPS report, which documented a shoreline retreat of 0.3 meters per year between 2005 and 2018.
• A description of current shoreline monitoring protocols.
• Any planning documents or initiatives under consideration to implement shoreline protection and resilience measures.
• Estimated funding needs or legislative assistance that may be required to carry out the work.
The visible degradation of the park’s beach — worsened by a recent tropical disturbance — prompted King-Hinds to write a letter to Bowron on Aug. 1, 2025. She stated that families who rely on the park for recreation are already feeling the effects of the damage. This degradation, she added, places the park at risk and disrupts public use.
“This trend, unfortunately, is not new,” King-Hinds told Bowron. She noted that the 2019 report recommended routine shoreline monitoring and consideration of mitigation measures such as dune restoration, sediment replenishment, or structural stabilization.
She also highlighted the “critical lack of data” on AMP within the region’s NPS operations. However, she said concepts already exist for generating the type of information needed to plan adequate responses that will preserve access and protect infrastructure — ensuring that AMP remains available to the people of the CNMI.
King-Hinds urged the NPS to explore options in coordination with local partners as a practical step toward stabilizing and sustaining the nationally significant site.
“American Memorial Park is a vital space for our community. It has long served as a site that honors our history and continues to provide open space as one of the most important public recreational areas on the island,” King-Hinds said.
A stone marker at American Memorial Park tilts as the beach sand retreats.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
Precaution tape surrounds the Micro Beach pavilion at American Memorial Park.
