I also want to thank EPA for hosting this hearing in their Denver facility. But, first I want to set the tone by stating my position of support for national parks. I grew up on a ranch in Wyoming, just outside of Yellowstone National Park. My earliest experiences in the outdoors and my appreciation for open, wild spaces are closely linked to my impressions and memories of our nation's first national park.
Parks are important to the American spirit.
They are places that define the essence of wild America and capture our history. They are important to the businesses of surrounding communities, the states and the companies that support travel and outdoor recreation. But parks are also delicate. If they are overly popular or poorly managed they lose their value. They become meaningless as examples of unique Americana and lose their spark for the economies they stimulate.