Almost 300 million people visit the parks each year. Yosemite has 4,600 parking places. The parks are also threatened from outside their boundaries. The water demands of Florida farms and cities drain the Everglades. Clearcuts march up to the border of Olympic National Park.
Air pollution fouls the Grand Canyon.
A proposed gold mine is likely to leach cyanide into the headwaters of the Yellowstone River. His bill to do so was voted down 321-180 in the House, but within hours he attached it as a rider to the budget reconciliation package. It certainly represents the feeling of the people. Seventy percent of those polled say drilling should not be permitted in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, even if it brings in money to reduce the deficit. Whatever the number, I can't believe it would be zero.