Lynn Davis <davisl@vt.edu> wrote:
Dear VAFP colleagues,
We had a great meeting at Fairystone. In reporting on the development taking place around Booker T. Washington National Monument, I mentioned some of the larger National Park Service issues. Below is a website that retired park officials maintain to keep citizens informed on the emerging policy issues. I have included some of the website postings below if you do not want to go to the web, to give you some perspective and background on the current debates. Hope this is helpful in understanding some of the challenges that park superintendents face today. You might want to print it out and read at your leisure.
Lynn Davis
VAFP National Parks Chair
Executive Council:
· Robert Arnberger
· Don Castleberry
· Shirley Clark
· Denny Huffman
· Jerry Rogers
· Rick Smith
· Bill Wade
Voices of Experience - Advocating
Protection of
Statement of
ROBERT ARNBERGER
On behalf of the
COALITION OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RETIREES
Submitted for the
Record of the
SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS
COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
For the
Hearing to Review the National Park Service's Funding Needs
For Administration and Management of the National Park System
Held
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to appear before this subcommittee
which is examining the management and operational capacity of the National Park
Service. I am Robert Arnberger, recently retired from the National Park
Service in August, 2003. Before my retirement I dedicated 34 years to the
protection of our national park system working my way up the ladder from
seasonal park ranger, to park historian and interpreter, to protection ranger,
Chief Ranger, to Superintendent and finally to Regional Director. My last
assignment as a Superintendent was at
Today, I represent The Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, former
employees who have joined together in a non-partisan group to bring their views
and expertise to the table in the national endeavor to protect our National
Park System. Many of the Coalition's 390 members were senior leaders who
received awards for outstanding stewardship of
I congratulate you on the focus and scope of today's hearing.
The Coalition recognizes
some of the gains over the years to the National Park Service budget but the
needs have far outstripped the gains and there is still much to do. The
headlines repeat themselves about deferred maintenance needs and operational
shortfalls at parks all across the country. Professional and objective
reports that document the need for more law enforcement rangers languish
without effective action. Budget deficits have created severe staff
shortages at all levels which have reduced abilities of parks to provide for
the enjoyment of park visitors, to protect them during their visits, assure the
roads, restrooms, sewer and water systems meet standards, basic science and
historic preservation requirements are carried out. A year ago the
Coalition released the findings of a new national survey based in part on
information from 12 representative
Field operations have been cut to the bone and there is no room for
continued cuts. Indeed, maintaining the status quo for "deferred
opportunities in the future" is not sufficient either because the status
quo is already below the standard required to carry out core mission
responsibilities. I talked to one field superintendent two weeks ago who
indicated 92% of his budget was in fixed costs. Each year it costs more
to run our parks and those increases are never really covered. A senior
division chief in one of our largest eastern parks reflects what really
happens: "year after year Congress authorizes mandatory pay increases
to federal employees without fully funding them. In FY 04, we received a
4.1 % pay increase with less than a 1 % park budget increase. As
managers, we groan when we see proposed salary increases because we know it
will diminish our ability to fulfill our mission-and at the same time we are
happy for our staff who work so hard".
Additionally, a factor sometimes forgotten relates to the conversion of the
federal retirement system from Civil Service to FERS. This same division
chief relates, "With the federal match of retirement accounts, overhead
for employees has skyrocketed from about 11 % to close to 50 % in some cases
and as Civil Service employees retire replaced by FERS employees the salary
overhead for parks increase. It seems as if the budget increases we do get
do not accommodate this easily predictable demographic trend."
The parks do not face these issues alone. The Washington Office and
Regional Offices face similar problems. I managed a Regional Office and
can accurately say that these offices provide desperately needed technical and
staff assistance to all the parks. Yet, the operational budgets that get
to the parks are impacted by the lack of funding at all levels and this
division chief relates, "every year the operational budgets are hit by
assessments - from Congress and the Administration. In FY 04 we incurred
an across-the board reduction; a further .646 % Department of Interior
reduction; a .59% reduction called for in the Omnibus Bill; a uniform
assessment; an assessment for computer software licensing; and a 2% assessment
from our Regional Office to help them help us".
The National Park Service
is caught in a self-perpetuating downward spiral that devalues the very
purposes why these places have been determined to be the most significant sites
of our nation's natural and cultural heritage and set aside in a national park
system of global pre-eminence. The rush to "privatize and
outsource" to commercial interests devalues the importance of the
"people's parks" and has wasted valuable time and money to evaluate
what park management responsibilities can compete with the private
sector. This has not only devalued the importance of these national
landscapes and historic shrines as just another "commercial
enterprise" but has sent a similar message to stressed, under-funded and
underappreciated professional staffs who do jobs no one else in this country
can do. The reduced buying-power of budgets that actually reach the parks
creates staff attrition and inability to carry out the National Park Service
core mission. This attrition forces greater reliance by parks on
additional private sources such as increasing numbers of volunteers, interns,
foundations, donations and friends groups being counted upon to carry out the
basic functions of managing a national park, rather than providing a
"margin of excellence" as they used to do. While we celebrate
and congratulate the spirit of voluntarism, friends groups, and foundations,
the inability of the federal government to carry out its core responsibilities
has blurred the bright funding line that must exist between those
responsibilities of the government and those of an assisting partner.
This places a heavy burden upon the philanthropic organizations seeking funds
for parks who must answer queries about why the government is unable to
adequately fund our parks and questioning the true commitment of this nation to
adequately provide for its national park system. And the sad truth is
that all of those outside sources combined are actually not filling the gap in
the basic functions. Even with all that generosity of voluntarism and
philanthropy, the system is still falling behind.
Rather than focus on failures and fault-though there is much fault to
spread around in both political parties and numerous Administrations-the
Coalition believes we should celebrate the success of the national park system
to present day-and there is much success to be shared amongst us all.
Successive generations of Americans, speaking through their elected
representatives, have decided that these places are special and merit the most
special protection in perpetuity. Let us celebrate this American optimism
found in our national park system with a bold and renewed commitment to better
care for our national legacy. The solutions to solving the problems are
not exclusively based in budget health and increased funds, but also in
developing a renewed bipartisan political commitment to solving long term
problems with something more than short-term solutions. We are in this "for
the duration" and we must develop better long-term support systems that
are consistent in growing the park system forward responding to this need.
The Coalition of National Park Service Retirees has offered suggestions about
how we might end this downward spiral, based upon a report released in
September 2004 titled, "A Call To Action: Saving Our National Park
System", a copy of which we provide to the Committee to be submitted
to the formal hearing record.
*
There is an annual shortfall of approximately
$600 million required to meet operational needs in the National Park
Service. A recurring budget increase will restore
Service ranger protection and education programs, fill lapsed
positions throughout the Service, provide facility managers with funds
required to care for federal assets, and continue the recent programmatic
gains in science and resources management. The budget
hemorrhage must be halted because "today's deficits are
tomorrow's backlog".
* It is time
to invigorate a national dialog to explore the issue of governance of our
national park system to determine how our government can best carry out
its role, on behalf of the people, to preserve our system of national
parks and to pass them on unimpaired to future generations. It is time to
end the repetition of headlines about park
deficits, deferred maintenance, and reduced visitor services. We
recommend convening a non-partisan National
Parks Blue Ribbon Commission dedicated to restoring the values of our
national park system by evaluating the mission and roles of a national
system of parks for the 21st century, and deriving from that the
true budget and personnel needs and the appropriate governance
organizational models. The Commission would report to Congress, the
President and the American public. Let
this effort create a bold, multi-year "Keeping the
Promises" plan focused upon the future of our park system
within the broader national and international context of environmental
management, the retirement of deferred projects, and the restoration of
operational budgets returning our park system to greatness by the
Centennial Anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016.
Working with all the champions of our national park system, the Coalition of
National Park Service Retirees stands ready to continue the work we carried out
as respected career professionals on into our retired life - to assure
our parks are preserved and enjoyed by our citizens leaving a legacy to be
proud of for the generations yet to come.
Secret
rewrite of National Park Service rules would abandon "preservation"
of
* To see August 26 CNPSR news
release: Click here
* To see FACT SHEET outlining possible
impacts of proposed revisions to NPS management policies: Click here
* To
see news conference statement by CNPSR Executive Council Chair Bill Wade: Click here
* To see news conference statement by CNPSR
Executive Council Member Jerry Rogers: Click here
* To hear
streaming audio replay of news event: Click here
* To see leaked Department of the Interior
"redline" version of proposed revisions to NPS Management Policies:
? Chapter 0 - Introduction: Click here
? Chapter 1 - The Foundation: Click here
?
Chapter 2 - Park System Planning: Click here
? Chapter 3 - Land Protection: Click here (Note: this is an
updated version of this chapter from what was posted on August 26)
? Chapter 4 - Natural Resources
Management: Click here
? Chapter 5 - Cultural
Resources Management: Click here
? Chapter 6 - Wilderness
Stewardship: Click here
?
Chapter 7 - Interpretation and Education: Click here
? Chapter 8 - Use of the Parks: Click here
?
Chapter 9 - Park Facilities: Click here
? Chapter 10 - Commercial
Visitor Services: Click here
September 8,
2005
The Honorable Gale Norton
Secretary of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240
Dear Secretary Norton:
Outdoor Industry Association, representing our 1100 outdoor business
members, is deeply concerned about proposed revisions to the National Park
Service's core mission and fundamental policies, which could harm the very
landscapes and natural icons that define America.
The National Park System was established to protect our natural and cultural
treasures. For the past 90 years, management of the nation's national parks has
afforded these landscapes a high level of natural resource protection, with the
overwhelming support of the American people. To this end, the Park Service
has been charged by congressional mandate and case law with maintaining
parks "unimpaired" for future generations. This has rightfully meant
that NPS
policy has held protection and preservation as their highest goals.
OIA and its member companies and associations cannot support changes to
National Park policy which would:
* Compromise the feeling of quiet awe and contemplation that visitors
seek in enjoying our national treasures.
* Reduce scientific reasoning in management of park resources.
* Weaken protections for air quality, water and wildlife.
* Increase commercial development of National Parks
* Reduce the quality of outdoor experiences for hikers, paddlers and
campers in National Parks.
* Designate mining and grazing as primary "park purposes."
It has been reported that this document was resoundingly rejected by every
NPS regional director in the country and that it was prepared without the
consultation of the people who manage the parks on a daily basis. We are
certain that the public will be very interested in learning more about this
process now that it has come to light.
High standards are required for National Parks. They are the crown jewels, the
places that define
them or reduce the quality of their experiences in them.
We look forward to hearing directly from the Department of Interior about the
plans for these revisions and the reasoning behind "fixing" a system
that has
captured the public's imagination and protected these landscapes for the past
90 years.
Sincerely,
Frank Hugelmeyer, President
Outdoor Industry Association
Boulder, CO
Will Manzer, President and CEO
Eastern Mountain Sports
Peterborough,
NH
Skip Yowell, Vice President
Jansport
Appleton, WI
Brian Cousins, President
Cloudveil Mountain Works, Inc.
Jackson, WY
Jeff Espy, CEO and Publisher
Hooked on the Outdoors
Duluth, GA
Steve Matous, Executive Director
The Access Fund
Boulder, CO
Keith S. Jackson, President
Industrial Revolution, Inc.
Redmond, WA
Fred Clark, President and CEO
Thule USA
Seymour, CT
Sally Jewell, CEO
Recreational Equipment, Inc.
Lee Fromson, President
Cascade Designs Inc.
Seattle, WA
Chip Coe, President
Smartwool Corporation
Steamboat Springs, CO
Peter Metcalf, CEO, President and
Co-Founder
Black Diamond Equipment
Salt Lake City, UT
Paul Gagner, VP Sales and
Marketing
Gregory Mountain Products
Temecula, CA
Celina Montorfano, Vice President
for Programs
American Hiking Society
Mark J. Herbert, President
Sierra Designs/Ultimate Direction
Louisville, CO
Kenny Ballard, President
Kelty
Boulder, CO
Tom Sherburne, President
Shred Ready, Inc.
Tallassee, AL
Mark Martin, President
Marmot Mountain, LLC
Santa Rosa, CA
Lisa Winston, Owner
Peak Exposure
Boulder, CO
Dunham Gooding, President
American Alpine Institute
Bellingham, WA
David Baker, President
Summit Hut Ltd.
Tucson, AZ
Marty Hiester, Founder
peak62.com
Liberty Lake, WA
Bill Cotton, CEO
Optic Nerve
Edgewater, CO
Smoky Anderson, President
Smoky Anderson, Inc.
Georgetown, CO
Jamie Hogan, Owner
Bear Vault
San Diego, CA
Steve O'Meara, President
Kokatat
Arcata, CA
Ric Nelson , Founder & President
Dermatone Laboratories
Windsor Locks, CT
Claudia Strijek, Owner
Strijek Design
Longmont, CO
Joanne Schwartz, President
Southwind Kayaks
Irvine, CA
Mike Sullivan, President
Sullivan Agency
Wimberley, TX 78676
Susan Osborne, Owner
New River Grill Company
Bradley, WV
David K. Smith, Founder
Future Solutions
Esatto Custom Footwear
Portland, OR
Chris Valiante, Owner
TwentyTwo Designs
Jackson, WY
Chris Warner, Founder and Director
Earth Treks' Climbing Centers
Columbia, MD
Rick Hemmerling, President
Ex Officio
Tukwila, WA
John Telfer, President
Influence Technologies, Inc.
Tustin, CA
John D. Mead, President
Adventure 16
San Diego, CA
Paul Kirwin, CEO
3point5
San Mateo, CA
Ann Krcik, Founder
Extreme Connection
Mill Valley, CA
Harry Gatsch, President
Internet Insights, Inc.
Memphis, TN
Rodney Smith, President
Backpackers Pantry
Boulder, CO
Michael Collins, Publisher
Sea Kayaker Magazine
Seattle, WA
Gil & Mary Willis, Principals
Elk River Touring Center
Slatyfork, WV
Bill Owen, President
Outdoor Specialty Group LLC
Kirkland, WA
Lou Patterson, President
Radar Communications
Boulder, CO
Ned Post, President
Smith Optics
Ketchum, ID
Tom Gordon, President
Great Plains Mountain Stuff
Rocky Mountain Sales Reps
Jeffrey A. Mazer, CFA, Principal
Mazer Advisors, LLC
Boulder, Colorado
Carson Stanwood, Owner
Stanwood & Partners Public
Relations
Jackson Hole, Wyo.
Joe Hyer, Co-Owner
Alpine Experience
Olympia WA
Therese Iknoian, Editor-in-Chief
GearTrends
Grass Valley, CA
Michael Hodgson, Owner
SNEWS LLC
Grass Valley, CA
Menno van Wyk, CEO
Montrail
Seattle, WA
Brice Hoskin, President
Mountain Boy Sledworks
Silverton, CO
Linda Kennedy, President
Watchful Eye Designs, LLC
Park City, UT
Mark Menlove, Executive Director
Winter Wildlands Alliance
Boise, ID
John Liston, President
Liston Concepts
Salt Lake City, UT
Bob Ackerman, President
Brasington's Adventure Outfitters
Gainesville, FL
Sven Lee, Managing Director
Fendler Communications
Portland, ME
Melissa Cook, President
Exel Sports
Georgia, VT
Dale Jones, Co-Owner
New Option Lighting
San Luis Obispo, CA
Stephen E. Nauss, President
Blue Ridge Mountain Sports
Charlottesville, VA
Bob Olsen, President
Peregrine Outfitters Inc
Williston, VT
Mark Hougardy, President
GlyphGuy Backpacks
Sunnyvale, CA
Paul Sanford, Director of Public
Policy
American Canoe Association
Springfield, VA
Lillie Gilbert, President,
Wild River Outfitters, Inc.
Virginia Beach, VA
Sally McCoy, Owner
Silver Steep Partners, LLC
Berkeley, CA
Nick Brown, CEO
Nikwax
Wadhurst, East Sussex, UK
Mike Palmer, Owner
Cascade Speciality LLC
Everett, WA
Brian Vaughan,
President
GUsports
Helen Cherullo, Publisher
The
Mountaineers Books
Seattle, WA
Loren Dill
Pipestone Mountaineering
Missoula, Mt.
Russ Crispell, President
Association of Outdoor Recreation
and Education (AORE)
cc:
Fran Mainella
Director of the National Park Service
--
Lynn M. Davis davisl@vt.edu 540 231-6157, fax 231-7664
Public Affairs Director, Virginia Tech's
142 Cheatham Hall,