Cuts in visitor interpretation and education, not enough money for employee pay raises or to replace jobs lost by past years' cuts, and less money for replacing worn out equipment are troubling areas of President Biden's FY25 budget request for the National Park Service, which continues to see visitation rise and additional units for the agency to manage.
A bipartisan vote in the U.S. House of Representatives and unanimous support from the Senate recently approved reauthorization of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area for another 15 years.
In November, House Republicans passed their version of the interior-environment appropriations bill, which called for a $436 million cut to the NPS budget.
Two House subcommittees concerned over why the National Park System's deferred maintenance backlog is not shrinking were scheduled to meet Wednesday with officials from the General Accounting Office (GAO) and the Interior Department's Inspector General (IG) to discuss the matter, but no one from the National Park Service.
We’re closing out the year with Kristen Brengel and Mike Murray, discussing top stories in the National Park System. Today, in the second half of this discussion, we’re focusing on natural resource issues in the parks.