Member Support – Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail
The reality of an Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail remains incomplete. The NGT lacks legislative funding for many basic aspects, including trail way-finding and signage, roadside overlooks and interpretive exhibits, even operational funding to the National Park Service to support Trail staffing. The NPS has management responsibility for the Trail through the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, which has been dipping into its limited budget for what minimal support it can provide. But this is being done as a collateral duty, and there has not been any dedicated Federal funding for the management unit to support Trail staff and Trail operations.
Ice Age Floods Institute supports and praises those ongoing efforts, as well as those at the local and state level regarding the National Geologic Trail. At the same time we suggest that the Federal government needs to become a better partner on Trail efforts through targeted appropriations for both Trail development and operations. Congressional appropriations for the NGT will further educational efforts and public understanding of our amazing regional geology, and will provide an economic benefit to our local communities and region by way of visitor interest and travel throughout the Ice Age Floods region.
To help inform legislative contacts, IAFI has updated and approved a briefing sheet as a template to help guide discussions with legislative staff members. This may be useful when a Congressperson or Senator is back in the district or state for social or public situations. Chapter members may shake the hand of an elected official, identify themselves as part of IAFI, and briefly talk about the importance of the NGT to the public understanding of the forces of Northwest Geology, and the overall education efforts of the Institute and others. This is just good common sense with any elected official at all levels of government.
It should be underscored, however, that Congressional briefings should be informative in nature, to focus on the “doings” of the Institute and its purpose to further public understanding about the Ice Age Floods and earth science, and to support the development and ongoing public use of the Congressionally approved Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail. We must be clear that the Institute is not “lobbying” for funds for the Institute, but rather pointing out shortcomings of not fully implementing the intent of Congress for the Trail due to the lack of Trail development and operating funds for National Park Service support of the Trail.
Rather, we are acting as a proven non-profit partner of the National Park Service, various state and local governments, and our regional community. Therefore our informing and reminding our elected officials is NOT self-serving, nor in any way of financial benefit to the Institute. To the contrary, it is in the public interest for Congress to support adequate funding for the National Park Service to operate and manage the Trail. It benefits all citizens, and our entire region.