"Interior: Zinke Juggles Park Service Leadership"

"Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke today [Wednesday] appointed P. Daniel Smith as the new acting director of the National Park Service, replacing Mike Reynolds, who's taking over as superintendent of Yosemite National Park.

Smith, the former superintendent of Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia, rejoined the Park Service from retirement just two weeks ago as deputy director. Today's promotion came as Reynolds had to step aside as acting chief, with that term limited to 300 days.

"Personally, I felt like this was the right time for me to come back and to contribute to the extraordinary mission of the National Park Service," Smith said in a message to Park Service employees this morning.

Zinke made the moves as NPS awaits a permanent leader. President Trump has yet to nominate a director."

Rob Hotakainen reports for Greenwire January 24, 2018.

SEE ALSO:

"Official Who Allowed Tree Cutting By Redskins Owner Is Named National Parks Director" (NPR)