As a supporter of national parks, I was pleased to see your June 29th editorial, “National Parks budget cuts won’t go unnoticed.”
It is shameful that we have let our national parks become understaffed so that visitors aren’t getting the guidance and park programs they should, and maintenance has gotten out of control. As the editorial notes, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has said parks’ funding needs can be solved with more privatized services and higher fees. But more than anything, parks need investment.
That is why Congress should reject the president’s budget and instead commit to appropriating more funds to bring rangers back to parks after years of staffing cuts. The administration should also support a robust and realistic solution to meeting parks’ repair needs — dedicating funding to the parks maintenance backlog. The secretary should support a bill to do just that, the National Park Service Legacy Act, which enjoys bipartisan co-sponsorship in the Senate and House, including Washington Reps. Dave Reichert and Derek Kilmer.
Valerie Ader
Everett
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