...just another reason to overthrow the Busiads.
the following is from the Sierra Club Website:
Starving the National Parks
Bush administration leaves America's natural wonders $600 million short
Coming to a park near you: "service level adjustments." Photo illustration by William Duke; used with permission.If you're planning to head to a national park for an upcoming holiday, you'd better have a backup plan; budget cuts mandated by the Bush administration could drastically reduce services and operating hours at parks throughout the system.
Sorry, did we say "cuts"? Make that "service level adjustments due to financial constraints." Park superintendents were instructed "not to directly indicate that ‘this is a cut'" in internal Park Service memos that have been released by the Coalition of Concerned National Park Service Retirees. Northeast Region superintendents, for example, were cautioned to "be sure that adjustments are taken from as many areas as is possible so that it won't cause public or political controversy."
Recommended "adjustments" to cope with a $600 million budget shortfall include: "Close the visitor center on all federal holidays, eliminate lifeguard services at...guarded beaches, eliminate all guided ranger tours...[and] close the park every Sunday and Monday."
Ironically, the Park Service was simultaneously joining with the travel industry in a "See America's National Parks" campaign. "You can't engage in large-scale efforts with the travel industry to ramp up visitors to the parks," says Denny Huffman of the retirees group, "and then at the same time pressure superintendents to cut services."
It's all a far cry from George W. Bush's 2000 election pledge to "restore and renew" the National Park System. Some $50 million of the Park Service's budget woes stem from increased Homeland Security duties: protecting dams, borders, and national landmarks. But the Bush administration has not gone to Congress for the additional funds needed to pay for security and other increased costs, and Park Service personnel have been warned not to complain.
After Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers publicly revealed how budget cuts had weakened her operation (arrests are down and traffic accidents up), she was charged with "lobbying" and "commenting on budget discussions," and ultimately suspended last December. Her removal (which is being challenged) "sent a clear message to park superintendents," says Jeff McFarland of the Association of National Park Rangers: "You may lose your job for telling the truth about your park budgets."— Lauren Sommer http://www.sierraclub.org
Starving the National Parks
Bush administration leaves America's natural wonders $600 million short
Coming to a park near you: "service level adjustments." Photo illustration by William Duke; used with permission.If you're planning to head to a national park for an upcoming holiday, you'd better have a backup plan; budget cuts mandated by the Bush administration could drastically reduce services and operating hours at parks throughout the system.
Sorry, did we say "cuts"? Make that "service level adjustments due to financial constraints." Park superintendents were instructed "not to directly indicate that ‘this is a cut'" in internal Park Service memos that have been released by the Coalition of Concerned National Park Service Retirees. Northeast Region superintendents, for example, were cautioned to "be sure that adjustments are taken from as many areas as is possible so that it won't cause public or political controversy."
Recommended "adjustments" to cope with a $600 million budget shortfall include: "Close the visitor center on all federal holidays, eliminate lifeguard services at...guarded beaches, eliminate all guided ranger tours...[and] close the park every Sunday and Monday."
Ironically, the Park Service was simultaneously joining with the travel industry in a "See America's National Parks" campaign. "You can't engage in large-scale efforts with the travel industry to ramp up visitors to the parks," says Denny Huffman of the retirees group, "and then at the same time pressure superintendents to cut services."
It's all a far cry from George W. Bush's 2000 election pledge to "restore and renew" the National Park System. Some $50 million of the Park Service's budget woes stem from increased Homeland Security duties: protecting dams, borders, and national landmarks. But the Bush administration has not gone to Congress for the additional funds needed to pay for security and other increased costs, and Park Service personnel have been warned not to complain.
After Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers publicly revealed how budget cuts had weakened her operation (arrests are down and traffic accidents up), she was charged with "lobbying" and "commenting on budget discussions," and ultimately suspended last December. Her removal (which is being challenged) "sent a clear message to park superintendents," says Jeff McFarland of the Association of National Park Rangers: "You may lose your job for telling the truth about your park budgets."— Lauren Sommer http://www.sierraclub.org
posted by BLONDIE at 10:07 AM
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