REI praised the Obama Administration's move to waive fees at the National Parks on select weekends this summer – including this Father's Day – and President Obama's declaration of June as Great Outdoors Month.
In a statement, Sally Jewell, REI president and CEO, said, “On behalf of REI's thousands of employees, we applaud the recent actions of President Obama and Secretary Salazar to encourage Americans to get outside and enjoy the wonders of nature. At a time when many are challenged to manage their finances and deal with the stress of challenging circumstances, spending time camping with family or hiking with friends are healthy, economical ways to engage with loved ones.”
She added that the move to waive park fees and declaration of Great Outdoors Month “are inspiring testaments to the enduring power of nature to strengthen our bodies, calm our psyches and draw us closer to those we love.”
The Obama Administration has undertaken a series of new initiatives that preserve and promote outdoor recreation. In addition to the move to waive park fees and the declaration of Great Outdoors Month, the Department of the Interior has taken steps to reduce the environmental impacts of mountaintop coal mining in the six Appalachian states of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia through a coordinated approach between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of the Interior (DOI) and Army Corps of Engineers.
The Department also released report that reveals flaws in the process through which a controversial set of oil and gas leases were offered in Utah in the waning days of the previous Administration, including several near Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, and Dinosaur National Monument.
Finally, at the beginning of June, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar launched an initiative within the National Park Service to begin economic recovery projects at 107 national parks in next 100 days, creating new jobs and stimulating local economies while making parks better places for Americans to visit.
