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Stop the National Park Give-Away!

Target: U.S. House of Representatives
Sponsored by: National Parks Conservation Association

Our National Parks are under attack.

In an outrageous proposal for the House draft budget reconciliation bill, Rep. Richard Pombo (R-11-CA), Chairman of the House Resources Committee (the most influential House committee on public lands issues), has outlined a plan that includes: selling 15 national parks off to oil and gas industries and private developers; turning park vehicles and facilities into billboards for commercial advertising; and selling commercial naming rights for park buildings.

These 15 parks represent 23 percent of the total National Park System acreage - which is already only 2 percent of U.S. public lands.

Congress and the administration have a responsibility to protect our national heritage. Instead, Congressman Pombo seems prepared to put our American heritage on the auction block, insulting the American people and tarnishing the birthright of current and future generations.

Sign this petition today to urge your Representative to oppose Rep. Pombo's National Park give-away!

deadline: 10-3-2006
goal: 21,000

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Dear Elected Official,

I am outraged at the recent proposal by Rep. Richard Pombo, Chairman of the House Resources Committee, to sell and commercialize our national parks. It is incomprehensible that Congress might actually consider legislation that would sell national parks for development by coal companies and commercial interests, and every bit as ridiculous to turn the parks into commercial billboards by selling naming rights on park trails and buildings and requiring advertising on park vehicles.

Our national parks have come under attack in recent weeks, most recently with the dangerous rewrite of the management policies by Paul Hoffman. Each of these absurd proposals looks to promote commercial development, special interests and profit, and we need to seriously consider what the future of our parks would be should these devastating proposals move forward.

I urge you to oppose this ridiculous proposal, and the equally devastating proposal to rewrite the National Park Service's important management policies. The national parks are our history and our legacy to future generations. Our national parks are a part of our history and heritage. We should be working to protect these special places, not auctioning the birthright of the American people to the highest bidder.

Sincerely,

We signed the “Stop the National Park Give-Away!” petition!

# 32,369:

12:43 pm PDT, Apr 10, Jean Johnston, Texas
NATIONAL - by definition means owned by the NATION. Before the Government can sell them surely they should have to buy them from us. Then they can call them GOVERNMENT parks or CONGRESSIONAL parks or whatever they want - but first ante up. We all have a stake in them.

# 32,368:

8:05 pm PST, Apr 1, D. Jackie Handel, Texas
Selling off our National Parks takes away the essentials that are needed to keep down global warming. We need the oxygen the trees produce as they take out the carbon dioxide, remember your biology class in hi-school?

Our Parks are a place to visit to relax & enjoy nature in its own beauty. It is a place to take children camping & sightseeing of all our natural beauties.

# 32,367:

9:21 pm PST, Mar 28, Raina Cuthbert, Idaho

# 32,366:

12:55 am PST, Mar 27, Steve Klein, Canada

# 32,365:

9:51 pm PST, Mar 25, Tami Jeanne Guptill, Arizona

# 32,364:

8:27 pm PST, Mar 23, Name not displayed, Texas

# 32,363:

2:08 pm PST, Mar 20, Lyn Bankston, Texas

# 32,362:

12:42 pm PST, Mar 14, Richard Zinzalian-Smith, Georgia

# 32,361:

1:40 pm PST, Mar 11, May Liam, Georgia

# 32,360:

12:57 pm PST, Mar 10, Maureen Cuthbert, Minnesota
To sell off our most precious resources, never to be restored and appreciated by generations to come, would be the ultimate selfish act of this country.

# 32,359:

2:56 am PST, Mar 6, Will Masterson, California
It is a major travesty to sell of our national lands. Most privately owned land near public lands are developing at fast right. Allowing this will encroach into public land and take away the beauty of the land that will never be seen by us or are future offspring. Also you encroach on wildlife habitat which is already seriously threatened.Isnt that the reason we go to these parks ( to get away from civilization) not to bring civilization closer to it!

I've been visiting national parks for years and have hiked,camped and backpacked there. I have recently even lived and worked in Denali National Park in Alaska. I realize the crowding that has taken place by tourism is slightly irritating at the moment.I also recognize traffic management seems to be working. Taking away from the parks will not take away the people but add less of a serenity to the parks environment.

# 32,358:

11:30 pm PST, Mar 3, Paul Paine, Florida
Greed; How much greed does it take to sell of a piece of American heritage?

Public land is for the public, not for corporation profit and greed!

# 32,357:

7:43 pm PST, Feb 26, Abby Schult, Missouri
The selling of our national parks for energy development is bad public policy and bad Christian ethics. Stripping the environment is like ravaging the face of God. As a Christian, you know we are stewards not masters. If our American lifestyle needs trimming to keep our America beautiful, then please have the courage to say no to those who would destroy these sacred spaces. Protect them and you will provide hope to your constituents and earn our respect.

# 32,356:

3:24 pm PST, Feb 26, Raina Kranz, Florida

# 32,355:

1:05 pm PST, Feb 25, Teresa Kurtzhall, Washington

# 32,354:

4:50 pm PST, Feb 23, Joshua Fichtelberg, New Jersey
It is going to destroy what natural land we have left we have so little left to keep and let people experiance the environment and to be able to relax and get away from lifes trials and tribulations.

They are a last sanctuary of how the land used to be and allows natural beauty to be retained.

# 32,353:

12:03 pm PST, Feb 21, Rylan Kozak, Canada
Seeing as the lands were stolen from the natives, which have been assimilated neatly into American citizens... why not finish off what you started and assimilate the national park's "resources" into useful things like toasters and gasoline. Thank goodness humans have figured out how to make nature useful.

Parks mean a last hope against capitalism... one of the only "un-commodities" left.

# 32,352:

11:08 am PST, Feb 20, Stephen And Nancy Petersen, California

# 32,351:

10:12 am PST, Feb 20, Fais Angelo, Italy

# 32,350:

8:05 pm PST, Feb 16, David Hallam, Texas

# 32,349:

6:48 am PST, Feb 13, Name not displayed, Michigan
Our parks are a national treasure and part of our heritage, they are not to be used for energy development.

To me, the parks are a place of renewal and spirituality and quiet. Especially needed during these trying times.

# 32,348:

1:21 pm PST, Feb 11, Jeffrey Soule Phillips, Maine

# 32,347:

6:00 pm PST, Feb 9, Rory Vanucchi, Florida
Mr Roosevelt had the vision to see the future and put our parks aside for a good reason. Those lands are the a great source of pride for myself and many others- let's stop the short term thinking and get to work on better alternative energy and better conservation. Our generation is not doing the children of tomorrow any favors. I often wonder how they will feel about our actions or lack of actions in 40 years.

# 32,346:

9:42 am PST, Feb 7, Milledge Baker, Alabama
parks are ours for life,,,not try to sale them

everything

# 32,345:

6:40 am PST, Feb 2, Victor W. Speed, Florida
We need to seek other alternatives for energy, not distroy some of "our" National assets.

In my many trips and family vacations (Not unlike many of my friends) the quality time spent was a great and positive venture to us. I explained how after the war the veterans and core of engineers built many of the National parks for the people of the United States, let keep them!

# 32,344:

10:15 am PST, Jan 28, Karen Ray, Connecticut
Ilove visiting the National Parks. There must be plenty of other places to develop.

# 32,343:

1:51 am PST, Jan 26, Loretta Misura, Florida
These parks were set aside for all the American people, past, present and future. Selling any of them off represents another item stolen from all the people to benefit a very wealthy few.

# 32,342:

6:10 pm PST, Jan 24, Kathleen Biem, California
How an elected official can introduce a bill to sell our protected lands and natural environment is beyond me. NOT everything in this country should be for profit--we need some heritage to pass on to the next generation and for this generation to reflect on. There are other ways to preserve and introduce energy!!! DO NOT ALLOW THIS TO PASS!!!!!

# 32,341:

2:43 am PST, Jan 23, Name not displayed, North Carolina

# 32,340:

9:57 pm PST, Jan 22, Jamie Leinss, Illinois
So much of our land just keeps on getting developed and developed. We won't have any pristine places left. We must fight to keep our national parks in tact.

# 32,339:

3:59 pm PST, Jan 22, Chris Lucke, California
Don't sell of pristine, priceless, fragile, and beautiful national parks for the sake of energy! Please don't!

# 32,338:

11:59 pm PST, Jan 21, Daniel Cousins, Oregon
Don't rob Peter to pay Paul! It took along time to assemble our National Parks & we need to improve them, not deconstruct them.

I cherish our public lands, they are a legacy for all future generations, and the beauty,historic & spiritual aspects of our nation need to be maintained

# 32,337:

3:31 pm PST, Jan 20, Shannon Cuthbert, New Jersey

# 32,336:

10:55 pm PST, Jan 16, Ana Richkarday, California

# 32,335:

11:31 am PST, Jan 16, C Lisa Jackson, Oregon

# 32,334:

12:47 am PST, Jan 14, Madeline Graham, California

# 32,333:

6:42 am PST, Jan 12, April Scaturro, New York

# 32,332:

3:18 pm PST, Jan 11, Martie Crone, Maine
They are priceless as natural areas & energy development will destroy them.

Acadia is my back yard & my sanity.

# 32,331:

11:23 am PST, Jan 10, Madonna Snelson, Oklahoma

# 32,330:

5:43 am PST, Jan 9, Genie Brooks, Maryland

# 32,329:

10:45 pm PST, Jan 8, Susan P., Florida

# 32,328:

1:38 pm PST, Jan 8, Linda Berroth-Linderman, Arizona

# 32,327:

9:41 pm PST, Jan 7, Name not displayed, New Jersey

# 32,326:

1:19 pm PST, Jan 6, Ronald Cottrell, Kansas

# 32,325:

3:18 pm PST, Jan 5, Marina Ascunce, Florida

# 32,324:

1:23 pm PST, Jan 4, Maryann Barnes, Canada

# 32,323:

10:47 pm PST, Jan 2, Kimberley Selby, Washington
We don't have to sell off our National Parks just to look for oil.

My National Parks mean the world to me, and I want them all here for my nieces and nephews and their kids.

# 32,322:

6:36 am PST, Jan 2, Cassandra Absher, Missouri

# 32,321:

9:39 pm PST, Jan 1, Donald Garlit, Michigan
Parks belong to all the people not just those who would exploit them.

They are an important national asset.

# 32,320:

9:13 am PST, Jan 1, Carol T. Cox, Virginia
I cannot beleive anyone in Congress would even consider doing such a thing as to sell off our national parks for a temporary solution to the energy crisis. Think about the future generations, please!

# 32,319:

11:37 pm PST, Dec 31, Keenan Payne, Minnesota
Oil is not the answer for economic growth... it will eventually lead to our clinging on to whatever means we can to survive in the future (and we won't survive under those circumstances, because we will have used up all of the necessary resources that have kept life on this planet in existence)... there are alternatives, and I think we will all see that just because the economy will not benefit directly, it doesn't mean that we shouldn't do it.

# 32,318:

2:04 pm PST, Dec 31, Jennifer Cribbs, Ohio

# 32,317:

12:46 pm PST, Dec 30, A.d. Lapinsky, New Hampshire

# 32,316:

9:41 am PST, Dec 30, Michele Bauwens, Massachusetts
Our natural resources will not last forever. They ARE irreplaceable and must be actively protected. Alternate forms of energy should be researched/developed but not at the expense of the environment.

# 32,315:

8:31 pm PST, Dec 28, Name not displayed, North Carolina
systematically destroying what is left of our beautiful national parks and wildlife habitat is the height of arrogance and brutality bestowed upon our earth planet. do you not see what's at stake? do you really need your constituants, the people you supposedly represent, to spell it out for you? what will it take for out lawmakers and lawbreakers to step up to the plate and stand up for truth, wisdom and the respect for all life? another massive disaster wake up call given forth from the earth? Do the words honor your mother (and father) have any resonance or are we still spitting in the wind as we desecrate our nest!

# 32,314:

7:48 am PST, Dec 28, Kimberly E, Cherry, California

# 32,313:

2:28 pm PST, Dec 27, Kateri Kosek, New York
instead of fixing the problem of energy dependence, you'd just cause a hundred more, and give everyone who cares that there are national parks a big slap in the face

# 32,312:

12:25 pm PST, Dec 26, Christine Kasten, Arizona

# 32,311:

12:49 pm PST, Dec 22, Margie Dittoe, Pennsylvania
do not sell our parks from now to the end of time. I would like my granddaugther and her kids to see what I could not see in my life time.not just some empty land that has been left after you sell it off to the one that pays you the most money.everyone should be able to see open space and the animals that are still alive and free.not stuffed in someone's window to show off that they got that when they was out hunting.try puting yourself in the animals place for a chance.would you like to be stuffed on some one's wall or free to fly,or to swim in to sea.they have just as much right to live there live's out as you do.

# 32,310:

3:26 pm PST, Dec 19, Jered B kendall, Texas

# 32,309:

4:14 pm PST, Dec 18, John Edwards, Oregon

# 32,308:

7:05 pm PST, Dec 15, James Doherty Iii, Connecticut

# 32,307:

3:36 pm PST, Dec 15, Glen Anderson, Washington

# 32,306:

11:10 am PST, Dec 15, Beverly Miller, Oregon
the parks are a wounderful place to experence mother earths energy and help keep me grounded

# 32,305:

9:42 pm PST, Dec 14, Dalette Remington-Nash, Oregon

# 32,304:

7:53 pm PST, Dec 14, Amanda Fox, Alabama

# 32,303:

6:37 pm PST, Dec 14, Name not displayed, Oregon
are you nuts volcano's need room to loose there top ore

peace, beauty, abit of the way it used to be in that area i visit nat. parks in each state i go to

# 32,302:

1:56 pm PST, Dec 13, Nicole Cannata, California
This is absolutely disheartening

# 32,301:

1:47 pm PST, Dec 13, Ashley Mitchell, Oregon
Bad policy is an understatement. This will not only negatively impact people living today, but will leave a legacy of shamefull abasement of the natural beauty of our country to future generations. What will Richard Pombo tell his grandchildren when they ask what happened to these parks?

They are homes to many animals as well as places of historical significance to many people. To open them to commercial advertising will lessen their aesthetic attraction for me, as well as detract from their significance as places untouched by time.

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Stop the National Park Give-Away!

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