'Most endangered' national parks list released

[Democrats unite]

A conservation group dedicated to preserving national parks on Wednesday released its annual list of most endangered parks, criticizing the Bush administration and Congress for what it says is a spiral of decay across the country.

"Our national heritage deserves attention as much as the space program," National Parks Conservation Association President Thomas Kiernan said in a statement accompanying the list. "Four years ago, Candidate Bush promised to 'restore and renew' our national parks.

"It's time for Congress and the administration to follow through on that pledge," he said, by increasing the National Park Service $2.3 billion budget by $600 million to make up for operating shortfalls.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3956533/

snip

I was in the Smokey Mountains last year & visited a part of the park that was dying. It brought tears to my eyes.

[Sandpiper]

1. When he said "restore and renew"

What he meant was, "open them up for logging."

[gate of the sun]

2. and mining

n/t

[pmbryant]

3. Here's the link to NPCA's actual list of the 10 most endangered parks

National Park Conservation Association:

http://www.npca.org/across_the_nation/ten_most_endangered/

#1: Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas
#2: Biscayne National Park, Florida
#3: Everglades National Park, Florida
#4: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee/North Carolina
#5: Joshua Tree National Park, California
#6: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
#7: Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
#8: Underground Railroad Network to Freedom
#9: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska
#10: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming/Montana/Idaho