Protect National Parks and were nongovernmental, Nonprofit Organization and weve been at it for almost 100 years now. Host one thing the association when topics of shutdown come in, what was it like this time around for National Parks, compared to the last shutdown in 2013 . Guest it was difficult, the last shutdown lasted a couple weeks and everything was shut down. This shutdown was difficult, it wasnt quite clear what was going to happen and of course it was a shorter time period, we still had about a third of National Park units shut down. You also have reports of graffiti and looting in the parks and just in two days, saw trash building up and many things happening inside parks. With a third of the parks closed, a lot of visitors were shut out. Host when a shutdown happens, no staff on National Parks to help with guides or safety or things like that . What is the scope . Guest typically, the guides are not essential, they dont consider them essential, visitor centers, bathrooms are closed. You will have, you know, patrol person, but when you have some parks that are two million acres, a million acres, no way you can guarantee safety for visitors, so it is a very, very small crew in any National Park that would be there primarily for safety. Host one of the local papers talks about how the shutdown took place, it didnt deter people from coming, but as far as money collected, that was affected, too, i imagine. Guest absolutely. No fees collected and Visitors Center closed, with interpreters not available to do their job, people were on their own. We did see intrusions in the park in yellowstone and things they are no longer allowed to do with twostroke engines, snow mobiles, impact to parks happened just in two days. If that would have continued, it could have been serious. Host the information given to the superintendents was vague. A lot of pressure to keep the parks open, but duty to protect the national resources, historic resources, is critical. I think there was a lot of confusion and if it had lasted longer than two days, i think we would have seen Significant Impacts to the National Parks. Host National Parks, topic for theresa peirno from National Park conservation association, if you want to ask her questions in the eastern and central time zone, 2027488000. If you live in the mountain and pacific time zones, 2027488001. You can post thoughts on twitter at cspanwj. Give us scope of National Parks in the United States and how involved is the government as far as funding and upkeeping the park . Guest funding, overall budget is 3. 2 billion, but when you think about the shape of the National Parks are in, we have backlog, funding maybes backlog 11. 3 billion and that consists of roads, water systems, bridges, all kind of infrastructure needs, historic buildings, the parks have about 75,000 structures they have to maintain. The backlog like that, that is significant and then just managing the operations, the parks right now have 10 reduction in staff than in previous years and so they are already strained and so the parks are in really difficult situation with inadequate staffing and maintenance backlog that is in norm. Host result of this administration or see this pattern in the previous one . Guest it certainly has built up, but the problem is the president s budget that was just introduced this last year was the largest cuts to our National Park units since world war ii. It was an enormous cut, unfortunately that wasnt the budget that moved forward, we dont suspect quite frankly increase in the next budgeet budget. We dont see a solution to fund parks as needed. Parks did see increases on the operating side in previous years and of course, you know, with many federal government hiring freezes that existed the first four months of the past year, that really put a damper, as well, as being able to fill the positions that needed to be filled. Host weve seen proposal from the Environmental Department about increasing the fees at National Parks, what could they be . Guest fees generally, parks that charge fees generally 25, some are 30. So fee increases typically have gone up in a very small way. Because they are public parks, this is something you want to make accessible to everyone. And, you know, many families dont have the means to be able to spend significant dollars. The proposal could raise, could triple in some places, the National Parks and most iconic parks here in this region, shenandoah National Park could see increase of 70, that is a enormous increase, and that is a park people go to for the day, many people from the urban area use the parks and local communities will be impacted. It is a really significant increase at time when people are still struggling. Host how much of the overall budget comes from fee . How much do they supplement that . Guest very small. Were talking in the realm of 75 million increase in raising from the increase and when you look at the backlog, look at overall budget, it would have a negligible impact in benefiting the parks to increase it, but it could have a serious negative impact what it would do for visitation. Host the cost of backlog, is that a budget issue or management issue when it comes to parks . Guest absolutely a budget issue. Look at annually, the parks need about 600 million a year to maintain current facilities. So when you see budgets come in far less than that every year, they are falling into deeper and deeper serious need. So, weve worked and there is a bipartisan bill, that is National ParksService Legacy act that would provide 500 million a year, current revenue directed to maintenance backlog that would be able to fund and make enormous progress with current funding, that is important, bipartisan piece of legislation that we think really needs to move forward with the president talking about infrastructure, the priorities, here is an opportunity to do something really important for the National Parks. Host the website for the association is npca. Org, to check them out for yourself, the National Park conservation association. Theresa peirno serves as president and c. E. O. First call for you comes from california. This is amy in fairfax. Amy, you are on with our guest, go ahead. Caller good morning. Out here, we had a shutdown of alcatraz and near woods, i know she doesnt probably have exact figures, how much do you think that impacted those two park in terms of the money spent or lost . Guest well, just from that individual park, i dont have a number, but i can tell you that were talking billions of Dollars Per Day are lost when National Parks are closed. That impacts contractors and concessions, hotels and restaurants, impacts an entire community and the actual loss receipts for visitors going to the park. It is not dollars that typically can be made up, those are just lost dollars. It is very Significant Impact to the entire communitys economy. Host is alcatraz a National Park . People think National Parks are forests and trees or do they not think it expands to other thing . Guest i think they do. We have 417 National Park units, every state has a National Park unit, at least one. Sites like the statue of other thing . Liberty, they are Historic Sites like Hariet Tubman and joseph stonewall, put in new york this past year, we have everything from cultural and historic to incredible Natural Resource sites like zion and grand canyon. It is a diverse system that helps protect history, basic story of our democracy and things like civil war sites. It is really, really critical people understand the impact it has economically for the nation when our National Parks are closed. Host here is brad from international falls. Hi, brad. Caller good morning there. I live around a National Park. I live around boyser National Park, i have been here since inception of the National Park. I dont get what these people are saying. I dont believe National Parks are for people. I think they just love to make and create National Parks, lock them up and throw away the key. I just think that this is this is just a smear campaign, again, on the Trump Campaign and so, here were at, you know, talking about the National Park challenges, which is foolish on all sides, so i dont know, good luck. Guest well, brad, you know, it is funny, actually National Parks have had 330 million visitors annually, so just this last year centennial parks saw enormous visitation, so people are coming to parks and people all have their favorite park or park story in their history. We talked about, parks are beautiful, parks like voyager and grand canyon, yosemite, and shenandoah, and important history they preserve and it is one area where weve always been able to find common ground, it is a nonpartisan issue and one that every president , Theodore Roosevelt through republican and democrat have honored our National Parks and those Civil Servants that work hard to protect them. Host hi to iris, from michigan. Go ahead. Caller well, good morning. I think this is terrific topic because i think people love their National Parks and we dont trash our streets and throw garbage all over the place. And most parks could post signs saying that you cant bring food in or anything like that, but you have so many naturalists out there, including hunters, clubs, the boy scouts, the girl scouts, the organizations out there that could help in maintaining parks if needed. Why introduce ideas that you can come in and trash the parks in the first place so people have to lean up after you, when we should, as human beings, clean up after ourselves, if we do make a mess. But we to value our parks and we want to use them, it is part of who we are. We need places like this to go to. Host thanks, caller. Guest thanks iris, i agree completely. It has been so alarm whenning we alarming when we see a war on National Parks like weve never seen before. We are seeing leases give for oil and gas, right up to the borders of the National Parks that will have Significant Impacts and we saw the monuments issue, this president took unprecedented action and to look at what secretary zeinke has done in reducing two million acres, bears ears and grand stair case escalon. And we see in maine, a beautiful maine, a park that has been protected and preserved, threatened, as well. We are continuing it see this effort that feels like an attack on us because we are a part of what makes the National Park system so amazing. It is about the history and the people and it is about all of our public lands, they are our lands. Host a story based out of alaska this morning, king cove, action by interior Department Says on monday, the interior secretary signed agreement for Land Exchange that will allow construction of road between king cove and allweather airport in cold bay, something the Obama Administration blocked because of concerns on impact of wildlife refuge. What do you think about the land swap strategy . Guest land swap strategies can be good, depends on the actual area. When you have an area that is a wilderness area, critical for wildlife habitat, you have to Pay Attention to that and that area has to be protected. And when you look at the few wildlife areas where we have major migration and those areas that are the last great wilderness, alaska is one of those places in north america, really the last great wilderness. And it is so critical to protect wildlife there. Host the story adds, the people of the community can drive through the refuge, the allweather airport, why not give them access like that if they need access like this . Guest this is an issue that has been controversial and there have been other ways they have been able to provide access, but i think the reality is with National Parks, they are so special, these are places that have been determined to be necessary, that we have to do everything we can to protect them. This is particular wilderness area, certainly has been one that has continued to raise issues, but were seeing the attacks on National Parks like we have never seen it before. If we allow Timber Harvesting, oil and gas in the National Parks, as well as on the waters and shores that are critical to our marine parks, i mean, were seeing threats from every single area and this is something that the impact to clean water, the impacts to the clean water act, it is really impacting the Natural Resources and the ability for parks to really protect the kind of wildlife and resources we care so much about. Host we saw deal from the bears ears, state officials glad, they say states can manage this better than the federal government ever could. Guest yes, that hasnt been the case. Lets remember, National Parks belong to all of us, not to one state. They belong to all of us. And whether it is federal, National Parks, public lands that are within utah or within virginia or anywhere in this country, it is so important they have highest level of protection and that is one thing the National Park service does. They have tremendously skilled workers, some of the most revered, loved staff in the federal government, work for the National Park system, but they also have the ability to be able to impact and have a uniformed system of protection that is that highest level. If we had a situation where every state could determine their own level of protection and have really hodgepodge of protection, it would have enormous impact. This is jimmy in florida. Good morning. Caller good morning, how are you today . Guest good. Caller thank you for taking my call. Yes, i have been crosscountry four times over the year, been to yosemite, been to cradle lake, oregon, the parks is something that i agree, we need as a nation and in my opinion, i believe the reason that they are cutting the budget is because they want Natural Resources that these parks contain. The oil, coal, gas. It would be travesty if the public was allowed to let that happen and at this point, i dont know what can be done to stop it. It is kind of scary. Guest well, thank you, thank you very much for those comments and of course, one thing that you can do, you can help npca by going to npca. Org. There are ways we can voice. Weve had to create because of the defense weve had to play, a Legal Defense fund. Weve had to increase our legal activity, instead of being able to be proactive and look for ways to improve and be able to focus on that, weve had to play major defense this time, which is extremely unusual. And as you say, these parks are really part of all of us and something weve been given short time to be stewards of this land for the next generation, for our grandchildren and childrens children and if we let them down, these parks will be gone and theyll be gone forever, it is not something you can turn back. It really is critical that everybody voice, raise their voices loud, sign on, call congress, really engage and understand that these are the most important treasures that we have in this country and we need to do everything we can to protect them. Host lynn, lives in utah. Go ahead, please. Caller yes, as far as shrinking of bears ears, our four representatives, u. S. Representatives, are all owned by the gas and Oil Industries and the ranching industries. Something like 80 of utah were against shrinking of the monuments and our representatives dont care what the people of utah want. They are willing to sell it out. I just want to say that the guest you have on today is so well spoken and fighting for americans treasures that i hope americans will wake up and realize what they have got. I think they kind of take for granted the amazing parks we were blessed with and i just appreciate the speaker so much and i hope you can have her on again because shes telling americans what they need to hear and i just hope theyll listen. Thank you. Host apology for that, caller. Guest thank you so much, i appreciate your comments. Just the other day i was watching a show, rock the park, and the young man that traveled through the country and go to the parks and show us how amazingly beautiful they are were in bears ears and they were there and looking at the dwellings, the rock structures and amazing native american dwellings that still exist and can still be seen. If they are not important to protect, i mean, what is . It is astounding. As she said, 80 , even in utah and across the country agree the monuments are so worthy and our parks of protecting them. So why is it in some cases our own officials and leaders are not listening to us . Host theresa peirno, there was a headline about National Parks, resignation, mass resignation of the Advisory Board. Who is on the Advisory Board and tell us about the resignation . Guest oh, that is unbelievable and painful. The young the people on the National Park advisory are scientists, educators, leader in conservation and the members of this advisory served on the second century commission, most of them, under george w. Bush and provided feedback to secretary then kimthorn. This is not a political issue, it is really important that the public understand, these are leaders in conservation and National Park protection and their advice is critical. For the secretary, for secretary not to meet with them in a year is just appalling. And, you know, when you couple that with eliminating all the science, all Climate Science and science that has been done that show the impact that parks are face nothing our public land from increased fire and drought and be able to eliminate science and not listen to your board is frightening. So who is running the National Park system . We dont have a director of the National Park system. After a year, nobody has been put in that position, were continuing to see a lack of leadership from a secretary who came in saying he, you know, thought Theodore Roosevelt was somebody he wanted to model his leadership. Well, please, please look at what president roosevelt did, it is not what secretary zinke is doing in the leadership role. Host the secretary in response to resignations said we welcome resignations, expect nothing less from members who thought convenient to throw a blind eye to people can you expand on that . Guest it is appalling. Every sense in my body is just appalled by that statement. I mean, it shows the lack of understanding. These arent Human Resource department people, these are Science Advisors and education advisors, nothing to do with something that happened in personnel regarding this issue. And to do that and to throw that out, it just really devalues the office of the interior, secretary of the interior, it is very disheartening for Public Servants that volunteer, unpaid their time to support National Parks. Host nevada, next, this is bret, hi. Caller hello. Just want to ask theresa peirno, i live 14 miles from lake mojave, near lake mead. They are wanting to close down the land and our National Forest here are dying from bark beetle infestation and disease. You talk about lumber business. These trees are dying and become a fire hazard in the fire season. If you look at trees and private land, those trees are healthy. If you fly a plane over nevada, look. And the wild horses, round them up, killed 48 of them. Host thanks, caller. Guest of course managing forest and the Forest Service out of the department of agriculture is so strapped for a budget to be able to really manage the forest appropriately, as well as manage the entire fire season. We continue to see that increase, as well as infestation increase of whether beetels or other creatures impacting the forest because of changes in climate. More important than ever, make sure were using science and managing important land appropriately and that is something that supporting the management of lands absolutely, but going in and allowing Timber Harvesting inside National Parks that need to be protected and it is not about forest management, but about supporting extraction and logging, there are places that need to be off limits and we need to be able to make sure the planning takes place in those areas to allow for when it is appropriate, the kind of efforts you suggested. Host is there a place for controlled burn in the management process . Guest absolutely. Many National Parks, you know, rather in the rockies or other places have controlled burns and they do that and manage it very well. And fire is really part of the entire ecosystem. But, of course when you have these fires that are out of control, have gotten so hot, you are seeing droughts like weve never seen before. And so, the impacts, we need to be able to have scientists and to be able to look at what is happening and manage them appropriately. Host why when it comes to Forest Service you talked about, hasnt been significant change in budgeting process which deals with management and also ability to fight fires itself . Guest good question. Part of the budget is constrained, these are areas, all competing for funding and the funding pot hasnt grown. It continues to shrink and so we are continuing to see where there is not enough Adequate Funding for Forest Service, bureau of Land Management and National Park system. They are completely underfunded and to protect and maintain resources adequately, need more funding. Host from nebraska, this is brenda, hi. Caller hi. I hope you wont cut me off, i have a question to ask cspan when im done. But a lot of the fires weve been having is because of the overreach of grabbing up land and not maintaining it and that has caused a lot of these fires that has been happening. And i dont understand why cspan isnt more interested in interested in telling the American People because i watched hearings on your channel about how much harassment and sexual abuse is rampant throughout the last eight years in almost every department, including that department. The secretary has actually done a really good job trying to clean that up. And i just have two quick questions, please. One is, why you dont disclose on bottom of the screen where it says cspan, that youre actually owned by cnn . Host that is not true, caller, absolutely not true, funded by the caller i checked it out. Host you have false information, let me finish. False information, we are funded by the cable industry, that is a wellknown fact. Caller cable industry, but cnn, is your baseline. Host cnn is a cable network, not an industry. Leave it there. Thomas from north las vegas, nevada. Last call, go ahead. Caller yeah, i wanted to say, i used to visit lake mead a lot. The Park Services came in and put up a couple booths, start collecting fees, nobody shows up, then they have to start paying for advertising to get people to show up and now the parks, nobody goes. It seems like it is always that case, especially in the west, on it seems like the east coast, they want to control what they do in alaska or nebraska, instead, if they want more forests. Why dont the people that keep voting that way, make them in their own states, where they exist . Out here in the west, seems like the federal government owns more land than everybody else combined. Host well have to leave it there. Guest yes, of course the National Parks really make up a very, very small slice of our public lands and it is important to remember, we all benefit and our nation benefits from really protecting these critical treasures. They really are the very basic treasures left in this country that is developing. Were seeing really development take place across the country and very few places left that we really can protect. So it is so important those we have that we do everything we can and i would encourage people would encourage people to go to npca. Org, contact us and we will direct you in ways you can get involved and be part of the solution to protecting National Parks. Host theresa peirno of the National Park conservation association, president and c. E. O. Thanks for your time. Guest thank you. Response capabilities of Public Health threats. Funding, and the workforce capacity issues. That hearing tonight at 8 00 eastern on cspan2. This week in primetime. Tonight at 8 00 eastern, the American HistoryAssociation Conference with a discussion on president ial plantations and how he slavery was explored on the sites. Historians attending the Conference Look at how American Veterans are being remembered, honored, and memorialized since world war ii. We are live from the museum in washington dc of the discussion on the 1968 vietnam war offensive and the battle. And on friday night, lincoln author walter starr, and Howard University professor on abraham lincolns friends and enemies. History tv this week on prime time on cspan 3. Sunday night on afterward by it spokesperson kayleigh maca laney on her book, the new american revolution. Conservatives say to me, why do use this word. I am not a populist, i am a liberal. It sums up what this book is about, and it is the people. I wanted to honestly profile the people on the left and on the right. Voters i profiled workshop voters, but i profiled some who were not. To me it was capturing the sentiment that growth the electorate to deliver one of the most astonishing electoral defeats that we have seen, certainly in my lifetime and in modern history. It is a profile on American People given issues of terrorism to poison water in michigan. Watch on cspan2. Cia director mike pompeo today discussed intelligence and National Security issues. Also spoke about Global Threats that the u. S. Faces and what President Trump expects from the cia