Gas pipeline bills threaten national parks

by **Admin** Fri Jul 17, 2015 6:52 am

The grandeur of our national parks includes nearly every conceivable environment our country has to offer, from the dense woodlands of Shenandoah to the desert expanses of Death Valley. These parks were established to ensure these landscapes are protected and “unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations,” but thanks to legislation working through Congress now, it would be easier to puncture these landscapes with natural gas pipelines.

But three proposed bills—H.R. 2295 in the House of Representatives and S. 411 and S. 1196 in the Senate—would eliminate that long-standing provision. It would remove the requirement for Congressional approval – and with that the vote of the public -- before giving away park land for a gas pipeline, subjecting that power instead to the whims of whatever political party sits in the White House at that moment.
These bills threaten our national parks, and they must be defeated. If any of them become law, it would open parks across the country to the risk of expanded development. Many pipelines are currently proposed in the East, including ones that would cross through or near Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (one of the top ten most-visited parks in the country), and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. But more than just Eastern parks are at risk: as gas production continues to increase out West, parks across California, Arizona and Utah could find themselves in the path of a new gas pipeline.

We must stop them before it is too late!!!!!!!!!! pale