Bush Administration Budget Cuts Targeting U.S. Park Service Imperils Infrastructure

Interview with Alexander Brash, of the National Parks Conservation Association, conducted by Melinda Tuhus

The U.S. National Park Service was the first government agency of its kind in the world. The service manages 348 sites, from Denali National Park in Alaska to historic buildings in the northeast, including the Freedom Trail and the Underground Railroad. The system currently has a $600 million shortfall, and faces a $100 million funding cut in President Bush's proposed budget that will exacerbate the department's crisis.

Critics maintain that the White House funding cuts may well be designed to create pressure for increased commercialization, exploitation and privatization of services within the Park system.

Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with Alexander Brash, the northeast regional staff person for the National Parks Conservation Association, a 90-year-old nonprofit organization independent of the U.S. government. Its mandate is to protect and enhance the national parks. Brash explains how the funding crisis has impacted the whole system, and what it may mean for America's national park system if the situation is not reversed.

Call the National Parks Conservation Association at (212) 454-3311 or visit their website at www.npca.org

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