You are here

Secretary Norton Urged by 36 House Members to Stop Management Policies Overhaul

Share

    With time running out for comments on proposed revisions to the National Park Service's Management Policies, the flurry of paper heading to Interior Secretary Gale Norton is mounting.
Repbaird_copy     Today, 35 members of the House of Representatives signed onto a letter drafted by Rep. Brian Baird that asks Secretary Norton to stop the overhaul of the Management Policies.
    "These revisions would jeopardize the Park Service's ability to preserve our parks for future generations to enjoy," wrote the Washington state Democrat. "The revisions also raise serious concerns about the future course of our nation's land management policies."

    Oddly, while Rep. Baird is co-chair of the Congressional National Parks Caucus, not all members of the caucus signed on. Notably absent is Rep. Mark Souder, the other co-chair.
    Of course, the absence of Rep. Souder's signature isn't that surprising. He's a Republican, and Republicans don't normally chastise other Republicans. But then, party lines didn't stop Senator Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., earlier this month from voicing his opposition in a letter to Ms. Norton.
    Also missing from the list of co-signers to Rep. Baird's letter is Rep. Candice Miller, another Republican. I'm not surprised by her absence, though, as she wants to force the Park Service to allow personal watercraft in the parks, and so she probably loves the revisions. Which makes me wonder why she's a member of the National Parks Caucus?
    In his letter, Congressman Baird, who represents Washington state's third congressional district, told Secretary Norton that "the proposed revisions de-emphasize preservation in favor of elevating the importance of current use." He also takes issue with wording that many believe would weaken the Park Service's responsibility for maintaining clean air and natural soundscapes.
    "Congress has taken previous steps to clarify that when park managers face decisions regarding air pollution, noise, wilderness protection, and whether to allow specific recreational and commercial activities, they must always err on the side of preserving park resources," writes Baird. "The revised policies diminish and distort this prioritized mission by altering conservation-oriented language and replacing it with more permissive instructions.
    "To put it simply, the revised policies confuse the mission of the Park Service," he adds.

Comments

Do you have a source for this letter? I would like to know the other representatives who signed it.

Jeanne et al, The other signatories are: Nancy Pelosi Sam Farr Raul Grijalva Rush Holt Vic Snyder Chris Van Hollen Tom Udall Mark Udall Pete Stark Ed Case William Delahunt Bob Filner Ed Markey George Miller Ellen Tauscher Major Owens Jay Inslee Barbara Lee Allyson Schwartz Michael McNulty Ben Chandler Doris Matsui Robert Andrews Barney Frank Dale Kildee Carolyn Maloney Betty McCollum Ron Kind Maurice Hinchey Earl Blumenauer Michael Honda Michael Michaud Tammy Baldwin Jim McDermott Lynn Woolsey

Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.