President Theodore Roosevelt , 鈥淭here can be nothing in the world more beautiful than the Yosemite, the groves of the giant sequoias and redwoods, the Canyon of the Colorado, the Canyon of the Yellowstone, the Three Tetons; and our people should see to it that they are preserved for their children and their children鈥檚 children forever, with their majestic beauty all unmarred.鈥
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Since Yellowstone听was established in 1872, our parks have been a refuge for people looking to connect with nature and themselves, and听the National Parks Service Centennial next year should be a celebration of this legacy. Be it parents bringing their children for a day hike along the Appalachian Trail, or veterans enjoying听the beauty of a country they served by camping in Yosemite, our national parks are something we must continue to protect鈥攏ot give away to the oil and gas industry. Yet听Congress is currently considering a proposal to do just that.
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Earlier this month, the House of Representatives approved the , a comprehensive energy bill. Tucked inside is the deceptively named National Energy Security Corridors Act, which would amend the Minerals Leasing Act to strip the requirement for Congressional approval of oil and gas pipeline construction within our national parks.听If this legislation were to be signed into law, we could expect to see companies like the ones听fracking听in the Marcellus Shale to construct听pipelines through places like the Appalachian Trail (which passes through Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks).
If this legislation were to be signed into law, we should expect to see companies like the ones听fracking听in the Marcellus Shale to construct pipelines through places like the Appalachian Trail.
When President Obama rejected the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, he put an end to the 鈥渁ll of the above鈥 energy policy, and rightly pointed out that if we are to prevent the worst effects of climate change, we need to begin leaving some dirty fuels in the ground. Congress should be working with him to pass legislation that protects public health, our communities, our climate, and our national parks from the dangers of dirty fuels. (For exampke,听a bill from Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) would听ban the extraction of fossil fuels on public lands.)听But听by permitting the oil and gas industry to construct pipelines through our parks, Congress is building a bridge to 19th century energy sources at a time when we must be looking towards the future.
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There's another quote from President Theodore Roosevelt I often think of:听鈥淭here are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy, and its charm.鈥 Indeed, it is on account of this mystery, this melancholy, and this charm that millions of people visit our parks every year. Congress should celebrate our parks and what they offer,听not exploit them.
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While H.R. 8 passed the House of Representatives earlier this month, the Senate has not yet taken the legislation up. But, that does not mean we can rest easy鈥攊n fact, we should be vigilant, and call our Senators to urge them to protect our national parks,听not destroy them.
The creation of our national parks is often referred to as America鈥檚 best idea;听allowing pipelines to be constructed through them may be our worst.
Dan Chu is the director of Sierra Club's campaign.