U.S. Sen. Angus King has been tapped to chair the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks.

King, an independent from Maine, also will lead the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, which oversees programs related to America’s nuclear and strategic forces.

King announced the appointments in a news release Wednesday. In addition, he will maintain his positions on the Armed Services, Energy and Natural Resources, Intelligence, and Rules & Administration committees.

King’s home state includes one of the nation’s most-visited national parks, Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island. The park was the eighth most visited park in 2020 with 2.7 million visitors. Maine is also home to the recently created Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument near Millinocket in northern Maine.

“In the last Congress, we enacted some of the most impactful conservation legislation in a century, and on a bipartisan basis – but there’s still much more work to do,” King said in a prepared statement. “I’m honored to assume this position, and commit to working alongside my Senate colleagues and the Biden Administration to strengthen the implementation of the Great American Outdoors Act and find new opportunities to help the American people access our awe-inspiring public lands.”

King also said he was honored to assume the chairmanship of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces. King said the subcommittee plays a critical role in overseeing the nation’s nuclear and strategic forces, including arms control and non-proliferation efforts.

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