New federal funding for state parks

[Earth_First]

Source: NBC

New federal funding for state parks could prevent them from closing in the future due to budget cuts.

Senator Charles Schumer says the funding would come in a new energy bill and made available from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which collects royalties from land and offshore oil drilling.

It typically sets aside $900-million each year to protect parks but Congress has only approved the full amount twice in the last 40 years. This week could mark the third time.

Schumer said, “In the past, this money hasn't been going where it's supposed to. It's supposed to go to our parks. And so we have a proposal to make sure every nickel of those royalties goes to our parks throughout the country. New York State should get significant money here and it would prevent the parks from being closed later this year.”

Schumer says that federal funding, if approved, would also help state parks upgrade their facilities.

Read more: http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S1674674.shtml?cat=565

[Hell Hath No Fury]

1. Well that's a bit of a deal with the Devil --

Keep State parks open with money from oil drilling. :(

[Earth_First]

2. If it's going to happen; I'd rather it go to the NPS than the Pentagon... n/t

[kestrel91316]

3. Too late for CA. Last I heard, Ahnuld shut down all the state parks in CA.

[bloomington-lib]

4. Last time I went to Big Basin they said they were going to shut it down.

[Xithras]

5. California will have a new funding measure for the state parks on the ballot in November

In a nutshell, it will add an $18 surcharge to auto registrations, and completely fund all of the parks from the surcharge. The state parks currently get about $130 million a year in funding, which will be returned to the general fund for other purposes. The surcharge will generate about $500 million a year for the parks, nearly quadrupling their current budget. It also contains a provision prohibiting the state from seizing more than 15% of the new money for the General Fund, and even that can only be done in fiscal emergencies. In exchange for the surcharge, anyone with a California registered vehicle will be given free access and parking in nearly all of the state parks (there are a couple of exceptions, including Hearst Castle).

It's called Proposition 21. Vote for it.

[4_TN_TITANS]

6. Great news!

I love our state parks here in TN and make it a point to take advantage of them. This is a wise investment in our country.