Daily KOS has an article detailing a recent report by the NPCA that asks from money from Obama’s economic stimulus package in order to revamp national parks. The author over at KOS writes that:
There are any number of things that could be done with the upcoming, huge stimulus package to put Americans back to work and and improve infrastructure. About $2.5 billion of that to go to our national parks, says the National Parks Conservation Association, and they have a plan.
This makes sense to me, and I would love to see the National Parks get money in order to properly maintain their services. What I am worried about is that maintenance would turn into expansion. I live right outside of Yosemite National Park and just cringe every time I drive through the valley. It’s one thing to make National Parks accessible and provide for simple accommodations, but that ought to be it. The amount of buildings, paved roadways, etc. in Yosemite Valley and other National Parks is just too bad.
This is what I am worried about seeing stimulus money go toward. If the NPCA wants money to maintain the current roads and buildings then that’s fine; however, if the money is intended for widening roads, building even more housing, and other forms of expansion, then I would have to say that I would be opposed to that. At some point we must realize that by accommodating everyone into a National Park we will simply lose what the park is there for: to protect the natural beauty of the place.
Link via Daily Kos: State of the Nation.