America's national parks are becoming more popular each year, but congressional investigators say these treasures are deteriorating at an alarming pace because of a backlog in maintenance and lack of money.
"The future of the parks is at a crossroads. While more people are visiting parks, the services available to these visitors are deteriorating," an official of the General Accounting Office, told a congressional hearing Tuesday.James Duffus, director of the GAO's natural resources division, said an examination of 12 national parks and monuments found that "visitor services are being cut back and the condition of many trails, campgrounds, exhibits and other facilities is declining."
Roger Kennedy, director of the National Park Service, has acknowledged similar problems and has told lawmakers that his agency is grappling with ways to use the limited money it has to deal with the most significant repair and maintenance problems.
Joan Anselmo, a Park Service spokeswoman, said agency officials "pretty much agree" with the GAO, Congress' investigative arm, on many of the problems cited.
Park Service officials, as well as many lawmakers, acknowledge one problem is lack of money at a time when the growing number of visitors are putting a much greater burden on the parks. About 270 million people visit the 368 national parks and monuments annually.
The parent Interior Department is asking Congress for $1.5 billion for the Park Service next fiscal year, including an additional $80 million for operations. The budget would include an anticipated $32 million from higher park entrance fees that Congress has yet to approve. Included in the request is $67 million to replace dilapidated trailers that employees must use for housing at many parks.
Anselmo said the new entrance fees as well as changes in the way the government negotiates contracts with private concessionaires are essential to get money to help keep the parks in good condition. She said the Park Service also is looking for ways to work with private groups that would help keep park trails and campgrounds in good shape.
But the GAO noted the Park Service faces a backlog of $4 billion in needed maintenance without any indication of getting substantially more money from Congress.
Three options open to the Park Service are to generate more revenue within the parks, further reduce the level of visitor services or limit the number of parks in the system, the GAO said.
Duffus said these options pose "difficult choices" for the Park Service, but that without improvements, "ability to preserve these treasures for the enjoyment of future generations may be in jeopardy."
Many Republicans in Congress have urged that some marginal facilities be closed or transferred to state or private management, so that more money can be used to erase some of the backlog in maintenance and repairs in the major parks.
The Interior Department has strongly opposed a reduction in the size of the park system.
The GAO examined a dozen parks and monuments.