National Parks Conservation Association Praises Ken Salazar as Next Interior Secretary

Statement by NPCA President Tom Kiernan

“Ken Salazar understands that our national parks are national treasures, and his strong, demonstrated commitment to these significant places foretells his success as Secretary of the Interior,” said National Parks Conservation Association President Tom Kiernan.

“Sen. Salazar has been an outstanding leader in national park protection in the U.S. Senate. He has championed the strengthening of the parks’ management policies, advocated to address the parks’ chronic funding needs, led the introduction of the National Park Centennial Challenge, and worked to harness the educational power of our national parks for our children and grandchildren. He has also championed appropriate expansion of the National Park System.

“We look forward to working with Sen. Salazar to fulfill President-elect Obama’s campaign commitment to ‘addressing the funding shortfall that the National Parks Service has experienced, and ensuring that by 2016, the National Parks Service centennial, the national park system has the resources it needs to meet its unmet maintenance and operational needs.’”

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