15. Support Our National Parks

WHEREAS America’s National Park Systems are a national legacy and treasure; and

WHEREAS Hawai`i’s National Parks contain the last remnants of precious ecosystems and preserve bio-diversity for future generations to come; and

WHEREAS Hawai`i’s National Parks are economic engines for local island economies and destinations for travelers from all over the world; and

WHEREAS Hawai`i’s National Parks contain unique plant and wildlife species found nowhere else on earth; and

WHEREAS Hawai`i’s National Parks contain botanical and animal specimens which may have future medicinal benefits of unknown but immense value in medical research; and

WHEREAS the National Park Service under successive administrations has been neglected, it’s operating budgets under funded by $600 Million per year for the last ten years and the infrastructure crumbling because of a lack of capital improvement investment; and

WHEREAS budget cuts have resulted in staff and employee shortages, job cuts, under funding of pay increases, a lack of enforcement and resulting increase in crime within the Parks; and

WHEREAS Homeland Security takes Park personnel away from working to preserve and protect the Park Systems by using the Park personnel for security detail leaving dwindling staff with little or no backup; and

WHEREAS the Bush administration has been selling out the National Park Systems to commercial interests and lobbying groups for example park franchises, the snow mobile industry, mining and petroleum interests; now,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that our National Park Service be given a high priority in the Federal Budget process to address dwindling services and infrastructure repair, loss of park personnel morale, the reinvigoration of land acquisition for new parks and ecosystem preservation, and protection and restoration of our nation’s greatest public treasure, it’s National Park System.