#DAAV NATION!!

[kamkatzen]

all i can churn out rn are sketches...anyway hi daav nation

[yahargirl]

hello daav nation

[deniseyallen]

Portman, Warner Introduce Legislation to Address National Park Service Backlog

NPS Has a $12 Billion Backlog in Deferred and Overdue Maintenance, New Legislation Builds on NPS Centennial Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced the National Park Service Legacy Act, bipartisan legislation which would address the $12 billion maintenance backlog at the National Park Service (NPS). The bill has been endorsed by the National Parks Conservation Association, Pew Charitable Trusts, the Conservancy for Cuyahoga National Park, and many of Ohio’s leading chambers of commerce and tourism organizations.  Ohio Hotel and Lodging Association, the Lake Erie Shores & Islands, and Visit Canton.

“For more than a century, the National Park Service has been keeping America beautiful," Portman said. "But in order to keep that work going, we need to ensure that they have the right resources. Last year President Obama signed into law my National Park Service Centennial Act, which created two new public-private partnerships that will partially reduce the National Park Service's $12 billion maintenance backlog. This bill will create the Legacy Restoration Fund to provide the National Park Service with funds for deferred maintenance projects, including $75 million of deferred maintenance in Ohio’s eight national park sites. This legislation will set up the National Park Service for a second century of preserving American treasures like Cuyahoga Valley National Park."

“More than 100 years after the founding of the National Park Service, our park system remains in a critical state of disrepair. In fact, Virginia ranks 5th in the list of states with the greatest need for maintenance, with a backlog of nearly $1 billion,” said Sen. Warner. “While we’ve heard much talk here in Washington about infrastructure spending, a great way to begin this work is by helping in the revitalization of our public lands and the repair of critical roads and bridges, an investment which can generate $10 in economic activity for every public dollar invested. Our bipartisan legislation provides this needed investment by helping ensure that these historically diverse assets are preserved for future generations to enjoy. It also makes needed investments in NPS infrastructure, roads and bridges, like the Arlington Memorial Bridge, many of which are badly in need of repair.”

“Thanks to Senators Warner and Portman, we have a bill to address desperately needed repair projects in national parks from Yellowstone to Shenandoah to Cuyahoga Valley. The $12 billion maintenance backlog is an ever-growing challenge for our national parks, which welcomed a record-breaking 331 million visitors last year. This proposal will put our national parks on the right track. By investing in our national parks, we will not only start to tackle this backlog, but we will make our parks more resilient and prepared to continue welcoming visitors eager to explore our nation’s most important natural and historic places. Last year, the National Park Service celebrated its centennial. We can think of no better way for Congress to help our parks as they begin their second century than to approve this legislation,” said Theresa Pierno, President and CEO, National Parks Conservation Association.

“National parks continue to be our common ground. Senators Warner and Portman demonstrated leadership and foresight today by introducing legislation to ensure that our nation’s most significant historical and natural resources will be protected and that communities dependent on park tourism will continue to flourish,” said Marcia Argust, Director of Pew Charitable Trusts’ Restore America’s Parks project.

"Our national parks are highly valued by the American public and addressing their maintenance needs through this funding is important. The bill also supports the work of National Park Service friends groups by leveraging gifts from the public to accomplish even more improvements in parks. This investment in park infrastructure by the federal government and the public will make a difference in stewardship of park resources and in serving park visitors. I appreciate seeing the federal government fulfill its role as the owner of our national parks through the actions in this bill. It is also helpful to make it easier for the American public to support important projects in their national parks,” said Deb Yandala, Chief Executive Officer, Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

NOTE: The National Park Service Legacy Act would establish the “National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund” to reduce the maintenance backlog by allocating $500 million annually from existing revenues the government receives for oil and natural gas royalties until the maintenance backlog reaches zero.

For more information on this legislation, click here. Full text of the bill can be found here.

Some 2.6 million people visit the 12 Ohio national park service sites every year.

The $12.5 billion maintenance backlog includes $73 million for eight sites in Ohio.

Charles Young Buffalo Soldier National Monument (CHYO)

  $ 1,958,949

Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CUVA)

$ 40,824,920

Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park (DAAV)

$ 565,274

First Ladies National Historic Site (FILA)

$ 222,440

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park (HOCU)

$ 491,998

James A Garfield National Historic Site (JAGA)

$ 687,276

Perrys Victory and International Peace Memorial (PEVI)

$ 28,948,894

William Howard Taft National Historic Site (WIHO)

  $ 113,669

    Total ?

$ 73,813,420

In December, former President Obama signed into law Portman’s National Park Service Centennial Act – legislation that would provide the National Park Service with additional resources to help protect America’s national parks into its second century.  Portman’s work to preserve our national parks in the Senate continues his work as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, when he launched the National Parks Centennial Initiative in 2006. This initiative provided new public and private investment to prepare for the Centennial in 2016.

For his work to protect our national parks, Portman has received the 2012 NPCA Centennial Award and the 2015 Bruce F. Vento Public Service Award. Most recently, he received the National Parks Service Centennial Champion Award from Cuyahoga Valley National Park in July.

###

from Rob Portman http://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=6E78BB01-161A-475B-84F3-9B308D69A853