It’s time to restore America's parks

George Walter’s Sept. 6 op-ed, “National Parks still America’s best idea,” was right on target except for one big thing — after decades of underfunding, the National Park Service (NPS) actually has an infrastructure repair backlog estimated at $11.9 billion (FY 2015), not the $100 million referenced in the op-ed.

Our national parks here in Washington State face a $510 million backlog, with Mount Rainier facing a backlog of $285 million. This includes crucial repairs to aging historical structures and thousands of miles of roads and trails, bridges, tunnels, sewers, drainage, and other vital infrastructure.

I agree with Mr. Walter that Congress must take action to protect our national parks well into the future. We need to ensure that our children and grandchildren are able to see and appreciate our rich history in these places, and to learn more about the people and lands that have shaped us as a nation.

This story was originally published September 16, 2016 at 8:44 AM with the headline "It’s time to restore America's parks."