Badlands National Park
The News from Badlands
Badlands National Park Teems with Nice Surprises
October 14, 2008, 4:57 pmMarcia McMacken stepped off the boardwalk and took a long look at the sweeping scene around her -- bright green meadows in front, craggy tan peaks and deep forbidding canyons behind. She was clearly enamored.
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Badlands National Park Teems with Nice Surprises
September 22, 2008, 12:11 pmMarcia McMacken stepped off the boardwalk and took a long look at the sweeping scene around her — bright green meadows in front, craggy tan peaks and deep forbidding canyons behind. She was clearly enamored.
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More than Rushmore: Take a South Dakota trip
August 7, 2008, 11:47 amCUSTER STATE PARK, South Dakota - The wild burro wouldn't take no for an answer.
We had already encountered grazing pronghorn antelope, packs of wild turkeys, prairie dogs, and enough bison to render us downright blase when yet another of the enormous beasts emerged on our four-day trip through the Black Hills of South Dakota.
But the snack-seeking donkeys were a tourist's dream, moseying up to the car window for a bite of carrots, Cheetos or whatever else was handy. The feeding frenzy is common in these parts: Moments later, a particularly assertive burro blocked our path down Wildlife Loop Road until we turned over more foodstuffs.
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Oglala Sioux could regain Badlands national parkland
June 10, 2008, 6:33 pmThe southern half of this swath of grasslands and chiseled pink spires looks untouched from a distance. Closer up, the scars of history are easy to see.
Unexploded bombs lie in ravines, a reminder of when the military confiscated the land from the Oglala Sioux tribe during World War II and turned it into an artillery range. Poachers who have stolen thousands of fossils over the years have left gouges in the landscape. On a plateau, a solitary makeshift hut sits ringed by empty Coke cans and shaving cream canisters. It is the only remnant of a three-year occupation by militant tribal activists who had demanded that the land be returned.
Now the National Park Service is contemplating doing just that: giving the 133,000-acre southern half of Badlands National Park back to the tribe. The northern half, which has a paved road and a visitor center, would remain with the park system.
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Why national parks, coal-fired power plants may be neighbors
April 23, 2008, 2:23 pmNature photographer Hullihen Moore specializes in vistas of Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, but worries he'll soon be unable to see his beloved ridgelines through a yellowish haze of industrial emissions.
On some days, thick air already obscures mountains just a few miles distant, he says. So adding six new coal-fired power plants nearby, as is proposed, might make view-gazing impossible.
Shenandoah isn't the only national treasure whose scenic values are up in the air, however. From Virginia to Utah, the air quality of at least 10 national parks, including many with crystalline views, is threatened by plans to build at least two dozen new coal-fired power plants, parks advocates and air-quality experts say.
The little-known reason places with names like Badlands, Wind Cave, and Great Basin could soon see sullied air is a federal proposal that would lower the bar for developers seeking permits to build upwind of the parks, these critics say.
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Badlands In Depth
News from the Parks
Rainier Landmark Meets Wrecking Ball
November 18, 2008 - 11:29am
Paradise echoed Monday not with the voices of park visitors, but with the thump and crash of a 4,500-pound wrecking ball smashing through the old visitor center.
November 18, 2008 - 11:29am
Paradise echoed Monday not with the voices of park visitors, but with the thump and crash of a 4,500-pound wrecking ball smashing through the old visitor center.
New River Gorge National River Celebrates 30th Anniversary
November 18, 2008 - 11:24am
The New River Gorge celebrated its 30th year as part of the National Park System last week with the Nov. 10 anniversary of its 1978 designation as a National River.
November 18, 2008 - 11:24am
The New River Gorge celebrated its 30th year as part of the National Park System last week with the Nov. 10 anniversary of its 1978 designation as a National River.
Park to Go with 720 Sleds per Day
November 18, 2008 - 11:22am
Yellowstone National Park officials have opted to allow 720 snowmobiles a day in the park this winter, abandoning a temporary plan they proposed two weeks ago for 318 machines a day.
November 18, 2008 - 11:22am
Yellowstone National Park officials have opted to allow 720 snowmobiles a day in the park this winter, abandoning a temporary plan they proposed two weeks ago for 318 machines a day.
Falling Boulders Endanger Lives at Yosemite
November 18, 2008 - 11:20am
A major rockslide at Yosemite National Park's Curry Village has prompted officials to consider closing part of the lodging area permanently.
November 18, 2008 - 11:20am
A major rockslide at Yosemite National Park's Curry Village has prompted officials to consider closing part of the lodging area permanently.
Interior and Energy Team-up to Make National Parks “Green”
November 18, 2008 - 10:09am
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will help the National Park Service (NPS) showcase sustainable energy practices and fulfill its mission of environmental stewardship. With equal amounts of initial “seed money” from DOI and DOE totaling $1 million for 2009, the Energy SmartPARKS program hopes to eventually draw private sector support to spark a green energy future in the United States. “This partnership will deploy energy efficient and renewable energy technologies throughout the national park system,” said Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne. “We have the power to not only improve conditions in the parks, but also demonstrate for the public the impacts and benefits of green energy innovations.” “Our national parks are a showcase of this country's natural beauty and historical significance. With this agreement, we're ensuring that these parks are also models of energy efficiency and clean energy technologies,” said Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman. “Our parks have always been an important way for Americans to learn about the environment, now they can learn about energy use as well.” “The Energy SmartPARKS program will make positive, tangible advancements by greening the parks and by reducing energy costs and carbon emissions,” said Mary A. Bomar, Director of the National Park Service. “This is a great way to demonstrate our environmental leadership as we approach the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016.” On the ground, parks will use funding from Energy SmartPARKS to deploy cutting-edge technology as well as traditional solutions, including projects that retrofit lighting systems; purchase electric utility vehicles; install solar panel systems; upgrade meters and thermostats; replace windows and furnaces; study the feasibility of wind power; and conduct energy audits. Lessons learned from these projects can be used in other national parks and in the homes of every American. A list of some of the 2009 projects is available. Two recent projects illustrate the exciting possibilities of Energy SmartPARKS in the future: the exterior relighting of both the White House and the Washington Monument. With ground-breaking technology that improved the exterior illumination, these national icons now look beautiful while being energy efficient at the same time. Although the official assessment of the White House relighting project by DOE has not yet been conducted, early estimates anticipate over 50% energy reduction. The Washington Monument relighting project resulted in a 27% energy reduction with a cut of 36 tons per year in carbon emissions according to the official DOE assessment. The Energy SmartPARKS program will also develop new and expand existing partnerships with the private, non-profit, and academic sectors. These partners may help raise funds, identify projects, find technological solutions, and educate the public. The National Park Service is developing an Energy SmartPARKS website, in partnership with DOI and DOE, to showcase its commitment to a green energy future in America. Visit www.nps.gov/energy in the coming weeks.
November 18, 2008 - 10:09am
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will help the National Park Service (NPS) showcase sustainable energy practices and fulfill its mission of environmental stewardship. With equal amounts of initial “seed money” from DOI and DOE totaling $1 million for 2009, the Energy SmartPARKS program hopes to eventually draw private sector support to spark a green energy future in the United States. “This partnership will deploy energy efficient and renewable energy technologies throughout the national park system,” said Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne. “We have the power to not only improve conditions in the parks, but also demonstrate for the public the impacts and benefits of green energy innovations.” “Our national parks are a showcase of this country's natural beauty and historical significance. With this agreement, we're ensuring that these parks are also models of energy efficiency and clean energy technologies,” said Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman. “Our parks have always been an important way for Americans to learn about the environment, now they can learn about energy use as well.” “The Energy SmartPARKS program will make positive, tangible advancements by greening the parks and by reducing energy costs and carbon emissions,” said Mary A. Bomar, Director of the National Park Service. “This is a great way to demonstrate our environmental leadership as we approach the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016.” On the ground, parks will use funding from Energy SmartPARKS to deploy cutting-edge technology as well as traditional solutions, including projects that retrofit lighting systems; purchase electric utility vehicles; install solar panel systems; upgrade meters and thermostats; replace windows and furnaces; study the feasibility of wind power; and conduct energy audits. Lessons learned from these projects can be used in other national parks and in the homes of every American. A list of some of the 2009 projects is available. Two recent projects illustrate the exciting possibilities of Energy SmartPARKS in the future: the exterior relighting of both the White House and the Washington Monument. With ground-breaking technology that improved the exterior illumination, these national icons now look beautiful while being energy efficient at the same time. Although the official assessment of the White House relighting project by DOE has not yet been conducted, early estimates anticipate over 50% energy reduction. The Washington Monument relighting project resulted in a 27% energy reduction with a cut of 36 tons per year in carbon emissions according to the official DOE assessment. The Energy SmartPARKS program will also develop new and expand existing partnerships with the private, non-profit, and academic sectors. These partners may help raise funds, identify projects, find technological solutions, and educate the public. The National Park Service is developing an Energy SmartPARKS website, in partnership with DOI and DOE, to showcase its commitment to a green energy future in America. Visit www.nps.gov/energy in the coming weeks.
