--- begin forwarded text Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2001 16:47:11 -0500 From: Parklines <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Subject: National Park Lines 2001-15 National Park Lines 2001-15, Friday, April 13, 2001 News for NPCA's Park Action Network E-mail: [log in to unmask] Take Action Center: http://www.npca.org/take_action/action_alerts/ Become a Member of NPCA: http://www.npca.org/support_npca/ In This Issue: 1.Support Rep. Holt's Bill to Ban Snowmobiles in Parks 2.Bush Parks Budget Makes Little Progress 3.Jet Skis / PWCs - Good News & Bad News! 4.What are YOU doing for Earth Day? 5.Park Speak 6.Sample Letters for Non-Web Users SUPPORT REP. HOLT'S BILL TO BAN SNOWMOBILES IN PARKS: http://www.npca.org/take_action/action_alerts/ Reports that the Administration, through a closed-door settlement with the snowmobile industry, wants to overturn the NPS rule to phase-out snowmobiles -a rule supported by 85% of the public comments received- has led Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) to fight back. Along with 17 other members of Congress, Rep. Holt has introduced "The National Parks Snowmobile Restrictions Act of 2001" (H.R. 1465) to protect national parks from excessive use of these inappropriate machines. TAKE ACTION! Go to http://www.npca.org/take_action/action_alerts/ and send a free letter to your members of Congress urging them to co-sponsor H.R. 1465. The letter extends a thank you in case your member has already co-sponsored the bill. To find out if she/he has or not, you can contact [log in to unmask] or visit http://thomas.loc.gov and type in the bill number. For more information about this legislation, contact [log in to unmask] If you do not have access to the web, a sample letter and contact information are provided below. BUSH PARKS BUDGET MAKES LITTLE PROGRESS: http://www.npca.org/take_action/action_alerts/ Last September, candidate George W. Bush criticized the Clinton Administration for its failure to respond to the increasing pressures of park visitation and made a commitment to "preserve the natural beauty that draws us [to the national parks]." However, this budget proposal makes little progress for the parks, and what progress is made focuses on roads and roofs instead of wildlife and antiquities. The budget distributed on 4/9/01, looks like a C- effort at best. This budget does not show leadership on park protection, nor does it make a bold statement about park protection. It is hard to see how President Bush is working to restore the parks and fund park protection in the short term. TAKE ACTION! Go to http://www.npca.org/take_action/action_alerts/ and send a free letter to President Bush, urging him to redirect the Administration's efforts towards greater park resource protection. For more information on the budget proposal, contact [log in to unmask] If you do not have access to the web, a sample letter and contact information are provided below. JET SKIS / PWCs - GOOD NEWS & BAD NEWS: http://www.npca.org/take_action/action_alerts/ The fight to keep jet skis and other personal watercraft (PWCs) out of national parks continues. The good news is that Cape Cod National Seashore (MA) has gained further protections. Furthermore, a federal judge has agreed that the National Park Service must prohibit PWC use nationally unless they successfully complete a full environmental review as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This process must be completed no later than the fall of 2002. But, the challenge continues. House Reps. Jim Hansen (UT), Joel Hefley (CO), and Walter Jones (NC) have asked Interior Secretary Gale Norton to overrule the Superintendent of Cape Lookout National Seashore and put jet skis back into that beautiful barrier island park. This isn't just about Cape Lookout NS, folks, it's about the national rule! TAKE ACTION: Go to http://www.npca.org/take_action/action_alerts/ and send a free letter to Secretary Norton and tell her to support the park's decision to keep jet skis out. If you are from CO, NC or UT, please also visit http://npcaAction.ctsg.com/index.asp?step=2&item=321 to send a letter to the above members of Congress, and tell them we don't want more noise and pollution in our park waters. For more information contact NPCA Director of Park Recreation & Use Kevin Collins at [log in to unmask] or visit http://www.npca.org/across_the_nation/visitor_experience/. If you don't have access to the web, sample letters and contact information are provided below! HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR EARTH DAY? We have a great idea! Join up with a March for Parks in your area - it's an NPCA Earth Day event, and hundreds of local, state and national parks will be celebrating Earth Day park-style! Find one in your area by going to: http://www.npca.org/take_action/march_for_parks/events.asp. WASHINGTON, D.C.-AREA PARK ADVOCATES - JOIN US ON APRIL 21! Next Saturday, April 21, NPCA will be joining with our D.C. Community Partners and holding a March for Parks - Neighborhood Appreciation Day at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens! We're looking for volunteers to help us with some community projects such as river clean-up, wildflower planting, birdhouse building, and more! Come on out and meet NPCA staff, join the parade, hear music, watch spectacular dancers perform, view a native reptile and amphibian program, TAKE ACTION, and so much more!! To learn more about this event and how you can volunteer visit www.npca.org/take_action/march_for_parks/kenilworth.asp or contact [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], or [log in to unmask] To learn more about our March for Parks Program visit http://www.npca.org/take_action/march_for_parks/ and to learn more about NPCA's Community Partners Program visit www.npca.org/cultural_diversity/community_partnerships/. We can't wait to meet you and believe me when I say; Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is one special park you won't want to miss! Rain or shine - it's free - celebrate with us! PARK SPEAK: (Note: Sorry for last week's snafu! Here's the Wallace Stegner quote you might have thought was coming! To thank you for your patience, you get a "double-feature" Park Speak!) "Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed=85 Without any remaining wilderness, we are committed wholly, without chance of even momentary reflection and rest, to a headlong drive into our technological termite-life, the Brave New World of a completely man-controlled environment." - Wallace Stegner "We abuse the land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we will begin to use it with love and respect." - Anonymous SAMPLE LETTERS & CONTACT INFORMATION: If you can access the web, just go to http://www.npca.org/take_action/action_alerts/ Otherwise, use the sample letters below to send your own message. If you are not sure how to contact your member of Congress, contact [log in to unmask] for assistance. SUPPORT REP. HOLT'S BILL TO BAN SNOWMOBILES IN PARKS: Write your Representative and urge him/her to co-sponsor this important legislation. If they already have, send them a thank you note! If you need assistance, contact [log in to unmask] The Honorable (Your House Member) U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative: I am writing to urge you to co-sponsor H.R. 1465, the National Park Snowmobile Restrictions Act of 2001. Introduced by Representative Rush Holt, this bill would enact overall National Park Service standards developed last year on where snowmobile use should be allowed in national parks. It would not affect snowmobile use outside of national parks. On January 22, 2001, the National Park Service published a rule in the Federal Register to phase out snowmobiles in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Open for the public's opinion, this rule was supported by 85% of the public comments received. The Administration, however, has chosen to ignore the voice of the people, and has already delayed the effective date of this rule by 60 days, until later this month. Now there are reports that the Administration wants to overturn the rule by settling a lawsuit, without going through a new, public rulemaking process. The people have already spoken - we want our national parks protected, and we want snowmobiles phased out. For the sake of the public process and our priceless national parks, I urge you to co-sponsor Rep. Holt's bill, H.R. 1465. If you have recently become a co-sponsor of H.R. 1465, I sincerely thank you for your dedication to protecting our national parks. Sincerely, BUSH PARKS BUDGET MAKES LITTLE PROGRESS: Write to President Bush at [log in to unmask] and urge him to redirect his Administration's efforts towards greater park RESOURCE protections! The Honorable George W. Bush President of the United States 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Bush, I am writing in regards to your Administration's national parks budget proposal. In response to the increasing pressures of park visitation, you had made a commitment to "preserve the natural beauty that draws us [to the national parks]." However, your budget proposal of April 9, 2001, makes little progress for the parks, and what progress is made focuses on roads and roofs instead of wildlife and antiquities. This budget does not show leadership on park protection, nor does it make a bold statement about park protection. Every day, more money is needed to operate our national parks. In total, the parks need $600 million more per year to protect resources. Continued commitment to fund the Natural Resource Challenge is indeed encouraging news. This will give our national parks needed assistance in understanding some resource problems. Unfortunately, it is simply not enough. It is hard to see how your Administration is working to restore the parks and fund park protection in the short term. With such a strong statement on national parks last year, the American people had hoped for a strong commitment in this budget. I urge you to redirect your Administration's efforts towards greater resource protection. Sincerely, JET SKIS / PWCs - THE GOOD NEWS & THE BAD NEWS: Please contact Sec. Gale Norton and urge her to uphold the PWC ban at Cape Lookout National Seashore, and to ultimately uphold the national rule to protect parks from these inappropriate machines. If you live in CO, UT, or NC, please see Letter #2, and send a message to your Representative letting them know you don't want PWCs in our park waters! LETTER #1: [log in to unmask] The Honorable Gale Norton Secretary of the Interior 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240 Dear Secretary Norton: I am writing to urge that you uphold the recent decision made by Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina, to ban Personal Watercraft (PWCs, also known as Jet Skis) from national park waters. The public strongly supports the removal of these noisy, polluting thrill-craft from all of our national park waters. In Provincetown, MA, adjacent to Cape Cod National Seashore (MA), the people have voted on further restrictions regarding PWC use. Nationally, a federal judge agreed that the National Park Service must prohibit PWC use unless environmental reviews are successfully completed. My concerns aren't just with Cape Lookout - I am concerned about all of our national park waters plagued by PWCs. The use of PWCs is entirely inappropriate. I urge you to stand behind the public and the parks, and uphold the ban at Cape Lookout National Seashore, as well as the national rule. LETTER #2 Reps. Jim Hansen (R?UT): FAX ONLY: 202-225-5857 Joel Hefley (R?CO) FAX ONLY: 202-225-1942 Walter Jones (R?NC): [log in to unmask] The Honorable (Reps Name) U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative: I am writing regarding the use of personal watercraft (PWCs, or Jet Skis) in our national park waters. These noisy, polluting thrill-craft do not belong in our national park waters. They disturb wildlife, pollute the air and water, and are a nuisance to park visitors. They contradict the mission of the National Park System, which is to preserve the resources for the enjoyment of future generations UNIMPAIRED. The Superintendent at Cape Lookout National Seashore made the right decision to ban PWCs at this park. It is in the best interest of the park, and park visitors. We don't want more noise and pollution in our national park waters. Sincerely, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *National Park Lines is a publication of the National Parks Conservation Association's Park Action Network. To learn how you and your friends can become more involved in national park advocacy, contact our grassroots staff at [log in to unmask] Take Action! Sign your friends up! Just go to http://www.npca.org/take_action/action_alerts/. Comments? Suggestions? Tell us how we can improve! Write [log in to unmask] Learn more about NPCA at www.npca.org. To be removed from this list please send an email to [log in to unmask] with "REMOVE" in the subject line. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ --- end forwarded text -- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Rex L. 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