Monday, April 17, 2006

Parks Feel '80 Percent' Squeeze

Parks Feel '80 Percent' Squeeze: "Parks Feel '80 Percent' Squeeze
Visitor Services Getting Pinched in Move to Cut Costs

By Matt Stearns
Knight Ridder
Monday, April 17, 2006; Page A11

The Bush administration has ordered America's national parks to show that they can function at 80 percent or less of their operating budgets, which is forcing some parks to cut services for visitors as summer approaches.

National Park Service officials said the initiative was an effort to cope with the rising costs of salaries, utilities and other management expenses without harming the parks' 'core' missions of protecting the nation's natural treasures and enabling visitors to enjoy them. The Park Service has more than 270 million visitors annually."

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