Stimulus to help NPS

http://www.inyoregister.com/content/view/120871/1/


Obama stimulus bucks headed for Death Valley

Friday, 08 May 2009
By Mike BodineRegister Staff5-7-2009
National parks are getting a chunk of President Barack Obama’s Economic Stimulus money. Congress has approved more than $900 million in stimulus funding to make long-overdue improvements to infrastructure at more than 500 parks, including Inyo County’s own Death Valley National Park.It’s been just a little over two months since Obama signed the bill into law on Feb. 16, and already park officials are deciding where to spend the cash.However, the decision will not be very difficult to make, as the list of items in need of repair or upkeep is long after years of inadequate funding. Terry Baldino, Death Valley Park’s public information officer, said Tuesday that all national parks have had insufficient funding to keep up with maintenance for years, and so the money will go to repairing necessities such as roads and employee housing.

"It's good to see that money is finally getting to programs that have suffered in recent years; especially those that preserve and protect our Heritage resources. Unlike natural resources, vestiges of our heritage are not renewable, once they have succombed to time, disrepair, and the effects of vandalism." --aggie castronuevo