A rally of historical proportions was held on the steps of Federal Hall in lower Manhattan on Saturday in honor of Presidents Day.
Lawmakers, history buffs and conservation advocates enlisted the help of George Washington’s bronze image to call attention to the dire maintenance backlog at National Park Service sites in New York.
The group, led by the National Parks Conservation Association and The Pew Charitable Trusts, highlighted the nearly $1 billion in deferred maintenance at sites across the state.
“Our national parks, monuments and historic sites are a sacred trust for our kids and for future generations,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. “The funds and labor that goes into preserving and helping Americans and visitors from around the world enjoy these treasured sites aren’t spent, they’re invested.”
From Federal Hall, the site of the nation’s first capitol building, to Fort Stanwix in upstate Rome, the state’s national parks have welcomed a record number of visitors in recent years, the group noted.
In 2016 alone, more than 18 million people visited New York’s 23 national parks, from the Statue of Liberty to the Saratoga National Historical Park — generating upwards of $853 million for the state economy.
Fixing the wear and tear the sites have suffered could be a boon to the state, according to a recent analysis commissioned by The Pew Charitable Trusts and conducted by the Cadmus Group.
Addressing deferred maintenance could create as many as 9,847 jobs in the state.
Nationwide, the total backlog of repairs and upkeep for all NPS sites is more than $11.6 billion.
President Trump’s recently released budget includes a drastic 16% cut to the Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, and a 7% cut to the park service itself.
The Trump budget also calls for energy sales on public lands to help fund infrastructure projects in parks, wildlife refuges and other sites.
“We have to end the cycle of damaging budget proposals and deal with the urgent need to repair our parks,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) “Our national parks in New York City and all across the country are America’s treasures. I call on the Trump administration to work with both parties in Congress on an infrastructure plan with bipartisan appeal that properly maintains our natural resources and cultural heritage for future generations of Americans.”
