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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESOLUTION 20-160RESOLUTIONNO.20-16ARESOLUTIONENCOURAGINGCONGRESSTOCREATEARELIABLE,PREDICTABLESTREAMOFRESOURCESANDPROMOTE21stCENTURYSOLUTIONSTOADDRESSDEFERREDMAINTENANCENEEDSINAMERICA’SNATIONALPARKSYSTEM.WHEREAS,America’sNationalParkSystemisalivingtestamenttoourcitizen’svalor,ournation’shardships,ourvictories,andourtraditionsasAmericans,andhasbeencalled“America’sBestIdea;”andWHEREAS,theNationalParkSystempreservesthediversity,culture,andheritageofallAmericans,andservesasalivingclassroomforfuturegenerations;andWHEREAS,in2016,theNationalParkServiceiscelebratingitscentennialandcurrentlymanagesmorethan400nationallysignificantsitesandaninvaluablecollectionofmorethan75,000naturalandculturalassetsthatspan84millionacresacrossall50states,theDistrictofColumbia,andseveralU.S.territoriesandinsularareas;andWHEREAS,Coloradoishometo13NationalParkunits,includingRockyMountainNationalPark,GreatSandDunesNationalParkandPreserve,aswellasmonumentslikeDinosaurandFlorissantFossilBeds.TheTownofEstesParkisagatewaycommunitytoRockyMountainNationalParkandbenefitsgreatlyfromthetourismassociatedwithvisitorstothepark;andWHEREAS,theNationalParkService’smissionisto“toconservethesceneryandthenaturalandhistoricobjectsandthewildlifethereinandtoprovidefortheenjoymentofthesameinsuchmannerandbysuchmeansaswillleavethemunimpairedfortheenjoymentoffuturegenerations;”andWHEREAS,in2015,theNationalParkSystemhadmorethan307millionvisitorswith7.07millionofthemgoingtoNationalParksinColorado,andover4.1milliontoRockyMountainNationalPark;andWHEREAS,in2015,NationalParkServiceestimatesindicatethatparkvisitorsspentmorethan$450millioninColoradoatthesitesandlocalcommunitiesadjacenttoNationalParks,includingover$268millionintheEstesPark-area;andWHEREAS,theNationalParkServicehastheobligationtopreserveournation’shistory;promoteaccesstoNationalParksforallcitizens;stimulaterevenuetosustainitselfandnearbycommunities;educatethepublicaboutAmerica’snatural,culturalandhistoricalresources,andprovidesafefacilitiesandenvironstoenjoytheseresources;andWHEREAS,in2016,theNationalParkServiceestimatedadeferredmaintenancebacklogofnearly$12billion,over$200millioninColorado,and$63millionatRockyMountainNationalPark,whichincludesrepairstoaginghistoricalstructures,trails,sewers, C0drainage,thousandsofmilesofroads,bridges,tunnels,andothervitalinfrastructure;andWHEREAS,itistheresponsibilityofCongresstomaintainAmerica’sNationalParkstoensureournaturalplacesandourhistoryispreservedanddocumentedforfuturegenerations,andfortheadjacentcommunitiesthatrelyonthedirectandindirecteconomicbenefitsgeneratedbyvisitstoNationalParksites;andWHEREAS,reliable,dedicatedfundingfromCongresswillenabletheNationalParkServicetoplanforthemaintenanceandmanagementofthemorethan75,000assetsunderitscare;andWHEREAS,common-sensepolicyreforms,suchasexpandedopportunitiesforpublic-privatepartnershipsandinnovativecost-savingmeasures,cancomplementdedicatedfundingandenabletheNationalParkServicetoaddresstherepairbacklog;andNOWTHEREFOREBEITRESOLVEDBYTHEBOARDOFTRUSTEESOFTHETOWNOFESTESPARKdoherebyurgeCongresstocreateareliable,predictablestreamofresourcesandconsider2.PtcenturypolicyreformsandsolutionstoaddressdeferredmaintenanceneedsinAmerica’sNationalParkSystem.DATEDthis2”’dayof2016.TnClerkTOWNOFESTESPARKMayor/ATTEST: