[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18418]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        RESTORING NATIONAL PARKS

  Ms. CANTWELL. Madam President, during the fall of 2006, Mount 
Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades National Parks endured incredible 
devastation from tremendous wind and rainstorms. Mount Rainier National 
Park received almost 18 inches of rainfall in 36 hours. Rivers and 
streams all over the park overwhelmed their channels, with floods that 
exceeded anything the park had experienced in its 108-year history. 
Olympic National Park experienced a series of Pacific storms that 
brought significant road and trail damage. North Cascades National Park 
Complex experienced numerous winter windstorms, which resulted in 
abnormally large numbers of downed trees over trails and floods causing 
damage to several roads. The National Park Service estimated that 
damage to roads, trails, campgrounds, and buildings in all three parks 
exceeded $40 million.
  Today I recommend to National Park Director Mary Bomar the awarding 
of National Park Service commendations to the entire staff of Mount 
Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades National Parks for their commitment 
to repair and restore these parks. Their efforts exemplify the mandate 
of the National Park Service ``to provide for the enjoyment of [the 
parks] in such manner and by which means as will leave them unimpaired 
for the enjoyment of future generations.''
  Immediately following the storm, the personnel of these national 
parks worked continuously, often during their days off, to repair 
roads, rebuild trails, clean up campgrounds, and repair facilities. The 
citizens of Washington have a great interest in ensuring that the 
health, public and economic benefits, and welfare of Mount Rainier, 
North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks are restored for present and 
future generations. Without the extraordinary efforts of Park Service 
employees, it is likely that the parks would be decades from completing 
repairs, to the extent that they would be completed at all.
  It is my honor as a Senator of the State of Washington to recognize 
the heroic efforts of these men and women and express my gratitude on 
behalf of my constituents and all Americans that enjoy and treasure 
these parks as ``sanctuaries of enjoyment, recreation, learning, and 
personal renewal.''

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