“We commend the strong leadership Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has provided for the Department of the Interior over the last four years.  Throughout his tenure, Secretary Salazar demonstrated his commitment to protecting and preserving our national parks and making these treasured places more accessible and relevant to all Americans.  

“From banning uranium mining on land surrounding the Grand Canyon, to restoring the Everglades, and creating the West Coast’s first and only marine wilderness area at Drakes Estero in Point Reyes National Seashore, his devotion toward land conservation played a central role in preserving and making accessible our land, water, history, and wildlife for future generations to enjoy.  His support of the Antiquities Act, including the designation of Fort Monroe in Virginia and Cesar Chavez in California as national monuments, shows his passion for bringing more diversity to the National Park System. And his leadership through the America’s Great Outdoors initiative is helping to protect and restore our natural and cultural heritage, including the establishment of a network of world-class urban parks across the country to better connect cities and diverse communities with their natural surroundings.

“As the National Park Service approaches its centennial in 2016, Secretary Salazar has provided direction to design a robust centennial agenda for our national parks so they continue to inspire generations to come.  We look forward to working with the Obama Administration to build and launch a centennial parks agenda that prepares our national parks for their second century.

“As Secretary Salazar returns to his home state of Colorado, we thank him for his tireless efforts to advocate for the protection of our national parks and wish him well in his future endeavors.”

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