BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 21, 2020
Our national parks are quite literally being loved to death – after decades of widespread use and insufficient investments, these American treasures face a $12 billion maintenance backlog. Roads are crumbling, facilities are wearing out, and important projects are being postponed indefinitely. We haven’t done enough, and our inaction is a threat to the future of “ America’s best idea.” That changes now. Last week, the Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act, a bipartisan bill that makes massive changes to protect and preserve our national parks for future generations. It’s no exaggeration to say that this bill is one of the most important works of conservation of the last half century – and its benefits will be felt for years to come. ~ Angus King represents Maine in the U.S. Senate