National parks

November 6, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today introduced legislation to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) – a law that provides funding to protect sensitive landscapes and grants to states to develop recreation areas and facilities.

Right now, the Land and Water Conservation Fund is subject to the annual appropriations process. And Congress has rarely appropriated the $900 million that is authorized annually. As a result, the levels of funding for both federal and state agencies have fluctuated wildly.    » read more »

October 30, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet joined their Senate colleagues late Thursday in passing the conference report for the Interior Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2010, and sending the legislation containing key funding for Colorado's national parks, forests and public lands to the President's desk. The bill passed by a vote of 72-28.    » read more »

October 13, 2009 -- Washington, DC -- Chairman Raul M. Grijalva today hailed the release of the National Parks Second Century Commission’s report “Advancing the National Park Idea.” The report, authored by a distinguished bipartisan panel of environmental and public policy experts, reaffirms Congressman Grijalva’s call for stronger environmental protections, enhanced citizen stewardship, robust financing measures and other critical improvements to the nation’s environmental land management efforts.    » read more »

New Report Identifies Top Threats and Recommendations to Protect Parks

Denver and New York (October 1, 2009)—Climate change from human activity is the leading threat to wildlife, plants, water and ice in 25 of America’s national parks, according to a new report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Rocky Mountain Climate Organization (RMCO).

The report, NationalParks in Peril, comes on the heels of the introduction of clean energy and climate legislation in the U.S. Senate, as well as Ken Burns’ national parks series on PBS, which has put parks in the center of America’s national conscience.    » read more »

June 19, 2009 -- Nevada Senator Harry Reid announced today that two of Nevada's national park units, Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Death Valley National Park, will be participating in three nationwide fee-free weekends taking place this summer. "What we have in Nevada as part of the National Parks system," said Reid, "it's something that everyone should see."

This is a great opportunity for families to visit our national parks at no cost, Reid said. During these tough economic times, we want to give Nevadans an opportunity to enjoy our natural and historic treasures without straining their budgets.    » read more »

Interior Secretary and key Committee Chair express support for a revised plan

June 3, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) called on the U.S. Interior Secretary for help finding a common-sense solution to the issue of elk management at Theodore Roosevelt National Park – and secured support for a common-sense solution not only from the Interior Secretary, but also from the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Interior Department.    » read more »

June 3, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Resolutions to recognize the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park passed both the Senate and House last night. The resolutions were sponsored by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), and Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) in the Senate; and by Congressmen Phil Roe (R-Tenn. 1) and Jimmy Duncan (R-Tenn. 2) in the House.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the country, attracting over nine million visitors each year. The park today covers approximately 521,621 acres of land in both states, making it the largest protected area in the eastern United States.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, May 28, 2009 - Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced today that he is signing an interim directive regarding inventoried roadless areas within our National Forests and Grasslands.

"This interim directive will provide consistency and clarity that will help protect our national forests until a long-term roadless policy reflecting President Obama's commitment is developed," said Vilsack.

The directive provides decision-making authority to the Secretary over proposed forest management or road construction projects in inventoried roadless areas.    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that for the next year all decisions regarding road building and tree cutting in the nation's inventoried roadless areas will be made by the Secretary of Agriculture. The USDA will use the year to develop a national long-term roadless policy.

"I believe that this is an important step toward protecting our nation's roadless areas," Colorado Governor Bill Ritter said. "The Obama Administration has repeatedly stated that it is committed to protecting our roadless areas and I applaud this important step toward providing that protection.    » read more »

President Obama Calling for $600 Million in FY09-10 Funding

May 28, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Joined by U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), Florida’s Republican Governor Charlie Crist, and Congressman Kendrick Meek (D-FL), Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today underscored President Obama’s commitment to restoring the Florida Everglades, calling the unprecedented initiative a national priority requiring continuing commitment and bi-partisan support.    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Senator Jeff Bingaman today applauded the decision by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to provide interim protections for nearly 60 million acres of special national forest land.

In 2001, the Clinton administration put into effect a rule to protect the remaining ‘roadless’ areas in our National Forests. The Bush administration soon overturned the rule. Lawsuits challenging both the Clinton and Bush rules remain in the courts, leaving no national policy on managing roadless areas.

Today, Vilsack temporarily reinstated important protections for roadless areas, requiring secretarial approval for any road construction and timber harvesting in the roadless areas. In the coming months, the administration will work to develop a permanent policy.    » read more »

Provision will take effect in nine months

May 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Department of the Interior spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff issued the following statement regarding the enactment of a new firearms law for national parks and wildlife refuges that will take effect in nine months:

“The Department of the Interior will follow Congress’s directive and implement the new firearms law, which states that its provisions will take effect nine months from today. For the time being, the current Reagan Administration regulations governing possession of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges remain in place.    » read more »

May 20, 2009, Juneau, Alaska - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today welcomed the news that Congress has passed legislation that would permit visitors to carry loaded firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges, subject to the requirements of state law. The provision was included in legislation placing new restrictions on the way in which credit card companies deal with consumers.

“This is certainly good news for Alaska,” Governor Palin said. “The ability to carry a firearm can define a life or death situation, especially for protection against surprise encounters with wildlife, mainly bears. I appreciate the strong bipartisan support this received in the House and Senate. I am pleased the administration says the president will sign the bill.”    » read more »

Washington, DC - 05/06/2009 - Jane Danowitz, U.S. public lands program director at the Pew Environment Group, today issued the following statement on a decision by the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management to authorize eight uranium mine exploration operations adjacent to the Grand Canyon National Park.

Mining on public land surrounding the park is permitted under the nation’s 1872 mining law, which allows the mining industry access to more than 350 million acres of public lands across the West. Last June, in response to vast increases in claims-staking near the Grand Canyon, the House Natural Resources Committee called for 1 million acres of public lands to be withdrawn from new mining claims.    » read more »

More than $2.4 million for conservation, rehabilitation projects

April 24, 2009 -- LANSING - Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that the U.S. Department of Interior and the National Park Service (NPS) will invest more than $2.4 million in Recovery Act funds in two of Michigan's national parks: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Isle Royale National Park.

"Sleeping Bear Dunes and Isle Royale are absolute gems, containing some of the rarest species and landscapes in the country," said Granholm. "Recovery Act dollars will help protect and maintain these unique places for the world to enjoy today and tomorrow."

Almost $2.25 million of the $2.4 million total will fund efforts at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to:    » read more »