CNPSR Supports Emergency Declaration to Withdraw Lands Adjacent to Grand Canyon NP

June 22, 2008

SENT VIA FAX

Chairman Nick Rahall
Committee on Natural Resources
2307 Rayburn House Office Building
Independence Ave & S. Capitol St. SW
Washington, DC 20510

Chairman Raúl Grijalva
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests
And Public Lands
1440 Longworth House Office Building
Independence & New Jersey Aves., SE
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Rahall and Chairman Grijalva:

The Coalition of National Park Service Retirees strongly supports the emergency declaration to withdraw public lands adjacent to the Grand Canyon National Park from uranium mining activities.

Increasing mineral exploration and exploitation on lands adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park would leave this international icon immeasurably impaired. We are seeing increasing numbers of situations, such as this one, where short-term goals and commercial interests are placing units of our National Park System – this nation’s premiere heritage areas – at risk. Congress intended the National Park System to be protected, unimpaired; not just for our generation and for those still living, but for our children’s children and those generations that follow.

The 655 members of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees are all former employees of the National Park Service with a combined 19,500 years of stewardship of America’ most precious natural and cultural resources. In their personal lives, CNPSR members reflect the broad spectrum of political affiliations. CNPSR members now strive to apply their credibility and integrity as they speak out for national park solutions that uphold law and apply sound science. The Coalition counts among its members: former national park directors and deputy directors, regional directors, superintendents, rangers and other career professionals who devoted an average of nearly 30 years each to protecting and interpreting America’s national parks on behalf of the public.

We thank you both for your diligence in protecting the National Park System, and especially for being willing to use all tools available – even those rarely used – to carry out that protection.

Sincerely,

/s/ J. W. Wade

Chair, Executive Council