Tennessee elected leaders urge Congress to restore our national parks

NEWPORT, TN — Local leaders across the country, including 12 in Tennessee are calling on congressional leadership to act on legislation that would invest in serious repairs, ensuring that national parks continue to sustain tourism dollars, bolster local economies, and preserve national treasures in Tennessee.

More than 400 local elected officials across the nation sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi asking them to move legislation forward to address high priority deferred maintenance issues.

These repairs account for more than half of National Park Service’s (NPS) $12 billion maintenance backlog, and $6.5 billion provided by the legislation would go a long way to fix deteriorating historic buildings, crumbling roads, eroding trails and campgrounds, and outdated water and sewer systems. In Tennessee, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has more than $162 million in deferred maintenance that needs attention.

“National parks are a part of our DNA in Tennessee. Our leaders in Congress need to move forward with this legislation now, so we can repair these sites that are so valuable to our community and the nation as soon as possible,” said Roland Dykes, Mayor of the city of Newport. “In 2018 alone, visitors to the Smokies spent $953 million in communities near the park. That speeding supported over 13,000 jobs in east Tennessee.”

The Restore Our Parks Act in the Senate (S. 500) and the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act in the House (H.R. 1225) would direct up to $6.5 billion over five years to address priority maintenance needs, financed by unobligated mineral revenues from public lands and waters. The legislation, which was introduced by Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander, has support from nearly ½ of the Senate and over ¾ of the House of Representatives. Other members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation have added their support including; Congressmen Phil Roe, Tim Burchett, Chuck Fleischmann, Jim Cooper, Steve Cohen and Scott DesJarlais.

In 2018 alone, 9.2 million people visited NPS sites in Tennessee and spent an estimated $653 million in nearby communities when visiting these locations. That also supported 8.870 jobs in the state.

Tennessee mayors in support of the Restore Our Parks Act:

Madeline Rogero, Mayor, Knoxville
Ken Moore, Mayor Franklin
Robbie Fox, Mayor, Sevierville
George Gantte, Mayor, Dandridge
Larry Waters, Mayor, Sevier County
Lyndon Baines, Mayor, Jamestown
Chaz Molder, Mayor, Columbia
Trey Dykes, Mayor, Newport
Tom Taylor, Mayor, Maryville
Jim Coppinger, Mayor, Hamilton County
Andy Berke, Mayor, Chattanooga

Restore America's Parks letter

Published October 22, 2019