Good news for all of us who love our national parks!  Some of the money in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, aka ‘the stim,’ will fund projects to maintain national parks in 48 states.  This is great news, especially after the Bush years, when national park budgets for maintenance and repairs were slashed.

     With $750 million of the stimulus package devoted to national parks, “American workers will revitalize our parks’ infrastructure, rehabilitate visitor centers, and tackle long-deferred maintenance projects,” says Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.  He describes the money as “an investment in telling the story of America to future generations by conserving our awe-inspsiring landscapes, our diverse history, and our rich culture.”  And, he adds, the projects will create jobs and stimulate local economies.

     Following are just a few of the projects that will be completed with stimulus funds:

• In Shenandoah National Park (Virginia), a portion of Skyline Drive will be rehabilitated, along with many of the park’s scenic overlooks.
• In Denali National Park (Alaska), new trails will be created, a hazardous mine will be closed, and unneeded structures will be removed.
• In Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado), photovoltaic (solar power) energy systems will be installed  on the historic headquarters buildings.
• In Everglades National Park (Florida), solar water heaters will be installed in campgrounds, and failed dams will be replaced to keep salt water from seeping into Cape Sable, a freshwater home to several endangered animal and bird species.
• In Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona), trails will be repaired, and energy efficiency and wastewater management will be improved throughout the park.

Shenandoah National Park

   

Denali National Park

Mesa Verde National Park

Everglades National Park

Grand Canyon National Park

This entry was posted on Friday, April 24th, 2009 at 4:43 am and is filed under Good news for Mother Earth!. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.