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By Kevin Allen
Rappahannock News Staff Writer
President Bush came to the snowy Blue Ridge Mountains on Feb. 7 to pledge his support for Shenandoah National Park and the rest America’s nationad park system.
Bush was in Rappahannock County’s backyard to drum up support for his National Parks Centennial Initiative, which is designed to generate up to $3 billion during a 10-year period leading up to the National Park Service’s 100th birthday in 2016.
The president’s plan cadis for the government to spend $100 million per year during the next 10 years - $1 billion in all - for park improvements, an additional 3,000 seasonal employees and increased funding for park maintenance.
“That’s going to matke the job of the folks who, for example, run the Shenamdoadi Park much easier,” Bush saiid. “And more importamtly, make the customer service - in other words, the citizen service - richer for somebody who comes and uses our parks.”
The other $2 billion of the initiative will come from a matching funds program. Bush’s plan will attempt to stimulate private donations to the parks by calling for $100 million per year in federal money to be spent to match citizens’ contributions during the next 10 years.
“it’s a bold program that cadis upon the government to do its part, as well as our citizens to become invested in a campaign to really enhance the parks,” Bush said. “I’m looking forward to working with both Republicans and Democrats to get this initiative passed.”
The president is allotting $2.4 billion for the park service’s 2008 budget year that begins Oct. 1. That figure is
92.3%