National Parks Group Applauds Senate Passage of Denali National Park Improvement Act
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PRESS RELEASE
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | |
| Date: | June 20, 2013 |
| Contact: |
Kati Schmidt, Senior Media Relations Manager, National Parks Conservation Association: 415.847.1768 Perry Wheeler, Senior Media Relations Coordinator, National Parks Conservation Association, P:202-419-3712 |
National Parks Group Applauds Senate Passage of Denali National Park Improvement Act
Statement by Jim Stratton, Senior Regional Director for Alaska, National Parks Conservation Association
“The National Parks Conservation Association applauds Senator Murkowski’s leadership and members of the Senate who successfully passed the Denali National Park Improvement Act by unanimous consent last night. We support legislation that takes a thoughtful approach to protecting roadless Alaska, promoting renewable energy development, and honoring native Alaskans. And when all three components are included in one bill, as they are in Senator Murkowski’s Denali National Park Improvement Act, it’s a win-win-win.”
“Rather than building a new route to the east of Denali National Park into an area that is currently roadless, it makes good sense to us to keep the gasline along the highway. This position was mirrored in the final environmental impact statement for the Alaska Stand Alone Gas Pipeline, which included an option for routing the pipeline along the Parks Highway through Denali National Park. The Denali National Park Improvement Act makes this effort much easier to achieve, and provides opportunities for diesel-fueled tour buses in Denali to transition to cleaner natural-gas-powered buses.”
“Any time you can reduce diesel consumption by generating electricity with hydro equals a good day for the planet. We strongly endorse this part of the legislation that enables Kantishna lodge owners to do just that.”
