National Parks Need More Money Say Pelosi, Miller, California Members of New Coalition

2/27/2002

From: Andrea Keller of Americans for National Parks, 202-454-3332 Democratic Whip Nancy Pelosi's Office, 202-225-3130 Rep. George Miller (Washington), 202-225-2095 Tom Butt of Rosie the Riveter Trust, 510-220-1577 (cell)

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- At a press conference today, Democratic Whip Nancy Pelosi (D-8-CA), Representative George Miller (D-7-CA), and the new coalition of Americans for National Parks, including more than 40 California-based organizations and businesses, called for an additional $280 million in the National Park Service's fiscal year 2003 operating budget to protect national parks across the country.

"The Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco and its park partners, such as the Golden Gate National Parks Association, have done a stellar job of augmenting its resources with private funds and volunteers. Bay Area residents love and support the park. But the park desperately needs more public funds. Congress and the Bush Administration have a responsibility to provide the operating funds needed to protect the resources of the parks and provide visitors with an enriching experience," said House Democratic Whip Nancy Pelosi.

"The national parks preserve America's great natural places and also America's rich and diverse history. The Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historic Park in Richmond, California, for example, commemorates the contribution of women and minorities to the homefront effort of World War II," said Rep. Miller. "It is critical that Congress provides adequate funding for Rosie the Riveter and other historical landmarks that document and celebrate the contributions ordinary citizens made to our freedom and that will educate generations to come about our nation's rich and important history."

Research has shown that on average, the national parks are underfunded by a third. At Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area near Los Angeles, for example, more than one thousand archaeological sites of several Indian cultures lie unexamined by archaeologists and historians and unknown to visitors. The Cascades frog is steadily disappearing from Lassen Volcanic National Park, but the Park Service has insufficient staff to monitor the species and in fact, lacks data on most of the park's native wildlife. And visitors to Golden Gate National Recreation Area, one of the most beautiful sites in San Francisco, cannot tour Pier 1 at historic Fort Mason because it is structurally unsafe.

"Homefront is a word that we haven't heard in more than 50 years, but now, with the events of last September, it is used in the media everyday. The Rosie the Riveter/World War II Homefront National Historical Park has important lessons to teach us about working together, but needs funding to share those lessons with all Americans," said Tom Butt, President of the Rosie the Riveter Trust and Vice Mayor of the City of Richmond, California.

A member of Americans for National Parks, Butt was in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday for the 2002 Conference of Americans for National Parks. He lobbied Congress on behalf of the Rosie the Riveter Trust to increase funding for the Rosie the Riveter park site and all national parks.

Other California-based members of Americans for National Parks include the Arcata Chamber of Commerce, Business for the Environment, California League of Conservation Voters, California Native American Heritage Commission, California Parks and Recreation Society, California Youthbuild Coalition, City of Berkeley, City of West Hollywood, Coastal Watershed Council, Congress of California Seniors, East Bay Regional Park District, Friends of the River, Golden Gate Audubon Society, Headlands Institute, Los Angeles Conservation Corps, Medical Alliance for Healthy Air, Partners in Responsible Tourism, Planning and Conservation League, Presidio Alliance, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, Sierra Nevada Alliance, Surfrider Foundation, Water Keepers Northern California, and Yellow Rose Construction.

The coalition is building public demand for park protection. In shops and restaurants throughout San Francisco, for example, Americans for National Parks has distributed 300,000 postcards addressed to the president in support of increased funding for the parks that individuals can simply sign and mail.

"We need everyone's support," Americans for National Parks Campaign Director Jennifer Coken said, "because there's just too much to lose."

------ Americans for National Parks Americans for National Parks is a growing coalition of nonprofit organizations, businesses, trade associations, individuals, and other nonpartisan supporters of the national parks, working to encourage Congress and the administration to address the full needs of the National Park System. Campaign information is available at www.americansfornationalparks.org.