Facebook Twitter Email
MAY 31, 2001

On a visit to the Sequoia National Park in California, President Bush touted his administration's plan to spend $4.9 billion over five years to reduce the maintenace and repair backlog at national parks.

In his speech, Bush stated his support for property rights, a legal philosophy shared by Secretary of Interior Gale Norton who joined the President on his visit. Property rights groups sued former Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt for a number of decisions he made affecting public lands, including limiting use of national parks and monuments so that tribes could conduct religions ceremonies.

Property rights groups have also opposed the Interior's protections on endangered species includig bald and golden eagles. Norton once worked for a group who is challenging the Interior's proposed regulation to allow members of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona to collect baby golden in Wuputki National Monument.

The National Park Service has received about 4,000 comments on the rule, an Interior spokesperson said.

Get Bush's Remarks:
Video | Text

Get the Story:
Bush Pushes Local Control of Conservation Matters (The Washington Post 5/31)
Thomas praises Bush parks policy (AP 5/31)
Bush Promises to Spend More for Repairs to National Parks (The New York Times 5/31)
You may have to register to read New York Times stories. If you do not wish to register, login with username indianz.com and password indianz.com.

Relevant Links:
Stop Gale Norton - http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/
stop-norton/index.html
Say No to Norton - http://www.saynotonorton.org

Related Stories:
Norton cutting old associations (1/25)
Tribes in middle of property-rights battle (1/12)
Norton group suing Interior over eagles (1/11)
Babbitt criticizes property-rights (1/9)