Policy Update Nov 3, 2015

9 National #ParksInPeril

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From Arches to Yellowstone, the crown jewels of our National Park System are at a crossroads. And it is up to each of us to determine which path they take.

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Arches National Park

What if you hiked all the way to Delicate Arch at Arches National Park and gazed out to see … oil pumps? For many visitors, the park’s dramatic, natural red rock architecture epitomizes our southwest desert. Yet, this uniquely American landscape could be permanently changed if oil and gas companies are allowed to begin drilling near the boundaries of Arches and the nearby Canyonlands National Park. Learn more here.

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Biscayne National Park

If you go swimming in the sparkling blue waters of Biscayne National Park, teeming with a rainbow of fish, bottlenose dolphins, endangered hawksbill turtles, and other marine life, you may think you are vacationing on a remote, far-flung island.

Sadly, the last few decades have taken a toll on the coral reef and fish populations at Biscayne National Park – but it isn’t too late to reverse the damage. Learn more here.

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Colonial National Historical Park

Colonial National Historical Park along the James River hosts the first permanent English settlement in North America, founded by Captain John Smith and his compatriots at historic Jamestown. A super-size electric transmission line proposed by Dominion Virginia Power threatens this historic landscape. Learn more here.

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Glacier National Park

It’s time for us to choose the future of Glacier National Park’s borderlands: oil wells or wild nature? Learn more here.

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Grand Canyon National Park: Victory!

You helped to stop a massive development proposed just outside the boundary of Grand Canyon National Park. On March 4, the U.S. Forest Service rejected a proposal by the Stilo Development Group to build a road and other infrastructure through Kaibab National Forest. Learn more here.

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Grand Teton National Park

Stunning views of the Teton mountain range on lands rich with wildlife? Or…mansions? Which would you prefer to see when visiting Grand Teton National Park? Learn more here.

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Mojave National Preserve

Mojave National Preserve and other California desert national parks are home to iconic Joshua tree forests and desert bighorn sheep. Unfortunately, they also serve as the epicenter of a new “gold rush” for industrial-scale solar proposals. A 2,000-acre solar project has been proposed less than one mile from the preserve and in the middle of a critical pathway for desert bighorn sheep. Learn more here.

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Yellowstone National Park

Herds of bison grazing in Yellowstone’s Lamar and Hayden valleys are images that stay with visitors to the world’s first national park, long after their travels end. Unseen to the eyes of summer visitors are the unsightly images of hundreds of bison being rounded up and shipped to slaughter each winter or forced back into the park each spring by use of helicopters, pickup-trucks, and wranglers on horseback — all under management rules set by an outdated plan. Learn more here.

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Yosemite National Park

Views for miles and clean air to breathe deeply are two benefits that you and nearly four million annual visitors to Yosemite National Park count on – and are afforded by law. Instead, there’s a good chance you’ll be greeted with hazy skies and unhealthy air. That’s because every national park suffers from air pollution. Pollution-caused asthma attacks simply should not happen to children in our national parks. Learn more here.

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