Arkansas Parks Threatened
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
A Parks and Tourism commissioner warns that congressional Corps reform is necessary to stem the tide of campground closings. Commissioner Jim Gaston is owner of Gaston`s White River Resort in Lakeview. He says most of the campgrounds in the state are owned
by the Army Corps of Engineers, but they don`t have the money to stay open.
The Corps announced this week that it would have to close 20 of its 185 parks and accompanying campgrounds. It said it doesn`t anticipate any more cuts, but Gaston says a few will probably close each year if Congress doesn`t change the way the Corps is funded. Corps revenues currently go to the Treasury Department, and Gaston says one thing Congress can do is make sure the money the parks take in stays in the parks.
