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Since our state parks are run by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, I trust troutbert will not raise too big a stink about posting this here:
State lists 50 parks that could close under GOP budget plan
Thursday, May 28, 2009
By Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has released a list of 50 parks -- including nine in the western part of the state -- that it might need to close in July under a Republican Senate plan that cuts $19 million from its budget.
The department's response Tuesday to a state Senate request to identify the possible park closings lists Ryerson Station in Greene County, Linn Run and Laurel Mountain in Westmoreland County, Laurel Summit in Somerset County; Yellow Creek in Indiana County, Maurice K. Goddard in Mercer County, Clear Creek in Jefferson County, Oil Creek in Venango County, and Erie Bluffs in Erie County.
According to the six-page letter to state Sen. Mary Jo White, R-Venango, chairwoman of the Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee, a department evaluation process identified 50 of the state's 117 parks that could be closed. It estimated that 35 to 40 of those parks would need to close July 1 if the Republican spending plan for fiscal 2009-10 were adopted.
"None of the closings are certain," said Christina Novak, DCNR spokeswoman. "This is to help people understand the possible impacts of the Senate budget cuts."
If the DCNR needs to close any parks it would continue to allow access to natural features and associated recreation, such as trail hiking. But features such as campgrounds, swimming facilities, restrooms, roads and parking lots would not be available and would be locked or posted accordingly, the department letter noted. There also would be no maintenance of facilities, resource management, environmental education or law enforcement in the closed parks.
If 35 to 40 parks were closed, the DCNR estimated that approximately 3 million park visitors would be affected and visitor spending in local communities would be reduced by almost $58 million.
The department said the Senate budget plan also would require a $1 million reduction in central and regional office staffing, elimination of a tree seedling program that sells 400,000 seedlings a year to landowners, and cut $3 million from the state forest road maintenance program, resulting in the closing of 1,000 miles of forest roads used for hunting, fishing and other recreation.
Responding to a Republican suggestion to raise money for department operations by leasing more state forest land for oil and gas drilling, the letter states it will consider future lease sales if they would not jeopardize the state forests' sustainability certification. More than 660,000 acres of state forest are leased for oil and gas exploration and the revenue was used not for forests and parks funding but to cover part of this year's general fund deficit.
In a news release issued yesterday, Republican Sen. Joe Scarnati of Jefferson County questioned the DCNR's budget claims and said threats to close parks amount to "raw, political scare tactics."
"To be successful, the budget process must be conducted in good faith, especially when we're trying to close a $3 billion deficit without increasing the burden on taxpayers," Mr. Scarnati said. "Scaring citizens is unproductive and plain wrong. I hope DCNR tones down the rhetoric and works with the Legislature to pass a responsible state budget."
A Rendell administration budget plan under consideration in the state House proposes to cut $7 million from the department's $120 million budget but would not require any park closings, the department has said.
Other popular state parks on the DCNR list for possible closure include Elk and Kinzua Bridge in McKean County, Whipple Dam in Huntingdon, Poe Paddy and Poe Valley in Centre County, R.B. Winter in Union County, and Ole Bull in Potter County.
Don Hopey can be reached at dhopey@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1983.
First published on May 28, 2009 at 12:00 am
State lists 50 parks that could close under GOP budget plan
Thursday, May 28, 2009
By Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has released a list of 50 parks -- including nine in the western part of the state -- that it might need to close in July under a Republican Senate plan that cuts $19 million from its budget.
The department's response Tuesday to a state Senate request to identify the possible park closings lists Ryerson Station in Greene County, Linn Run and Laurel Mountain in Westmoreland County, Laurel Summit in Somerset County; Yellow Creek in Indiana County, Maurice K. Goddard in Mercer County, Clear Creek in Jefferson County, Oil Creek in Venango County, and Erie Bluffs in Erie County.
According to the six-page letter to state Sen. Mary Jo White, R-Venango, chairwoman of the Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee, a department evaluation process identified 50 of the state's 117 parks that could be closed. It estimated that 35 to 40 of those parks would need to close July 1 if the Republican spending plan for fiscal 2009-10 were adopted.
"None of the closings are certain," said Christina Novak, DCNR spokeswoman. "This is to help people understand the possible impacts of the Senate budget cuts."
If the DCNR needs to close any parks it would continue to allow access to natural features and associated recreation, such as trail hiking. But features such as campgrounds, swimming facilities, restrooms, roads and parking lots would not be available and would be locked or posted accordingly, the department letter noted. There also would be no maintenance of facilities, resource management, environmental education or law enforcement in the closed parks.
If 35 to 40 parks were closed, the DCNR estimated that approximately 3 million park visitors would be affected and visitor spending in local communities would be reduced by almost $58 million.
The department said the Senate budget plan also would require a $1 million reduction in central and regional office staffing, elimination of a tree seedling program that sells 400,000 seedlings a year to landowners, and cut $3 million from the state forest road maintenance program, resulting in the closing of 1,000 miles of forest roads used for hunting, fishing and other recreation.
Responding to a Republican suggestion to raise money for department operations by leasing more state forest land for oil and gas drilling, the letter states it will consider future lease sales if they would not jeopardize the state forests' sustainability certification. More than 660,000 acres of state forest are leased for oil and gas exploration and the revenue was used not for forests and parks funding but to cover part of this year's general fund deficit.
In a news release issued yesterday, Republican Sen. Joe Scarnati of Jefferson County questioned the DCNR's budget claims and said threats to close parks amount to "raw, political scare tactics."
"To be successful, the budget process must be conducted in good faith, especially when we're trying to close a $3 billion deficit without increasing the burden on taxpayers," Mr. Scarnati said. "Scaring citizens is unproductive and plain wrong. I hope DCNR tones down the rhetoric and works with the Legislature to pass a responsible state budget."
A Rendell administration budget plan under consideration in the state House proposes to cut $7 million from the department's $120 million budget but would not require any park closings, the department has said.
Other popular state parks on the DCNR list for possible closure include Elk and Kinzua Bridge in McKean County, Whipple Dam in Huntingdon, Poe Paddy and Poe Valley in Centre County, R.B. Winter in Union County, and Ole Bull in Potter County.
Don Hopey can be reached at dhopey@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1983.
First published on May 28, 2009 at 12:00 am
