National Park Group Warns on Implications of House Budget Resolution for National Parks
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PRESS RELEASE
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | |
| Date: | March 26, 2012 |
| Contact: | Shannon Andrea, NPCA Director of Media Relations, P: 202-365-5912 |
National Park Group Warns on Implications of House Budget Resolution for National Parks
Statement by NPCA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Craig Obey
"The Office of Management and Budget has stated that the budget being proposed by Rep. Ryan (R-WI) in the House on Wednesday could mean drastic cuts for the national parks, confirming NPCA’s budget analysis contained in our report, Made in America, released last fall. In a post on the OMB website last week, Acting Director Jeff Zients stated that the Ryan budget could mean drastic cuts for a variety of social and other services, including the closure of hundreds of national parks for at least part of the year.
"NPCA’s Made in America report stated that a cut of only 5 to 10 percent could mean that operating hours could be reduced, the number of rangers could be cut, and some parks might have to close at certain times. If the annual non-defense funding reductions in the Ryan budget were applied equally across those programs in FY 13, park budgets would be reduced by 5 percent effective October of this year. If deeper reductions like those that could occur under the budget resolution were made after FY 13, the results for our national parks and the millions of Americans who cherish and visit them, as well as the businesses that depend on them, could be severe."
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