Biden Continues Two-Day Tour Of National Parks

Vice President Joe Biden began a two-day tour of Yellowstone and Grand Canyon national parks on Monday to check in on the improvements from the White House stimulus package, according to the Associated Press.

Biden spoke to roughly 100 park workers, contractors and their families in the Madison Valley of Yellowstone. He said that some of the $750 million in stimulus money has already gone to 800 national park projects, but there was more work to be done.

"For too long our nation's crown jewels have been neglected," Biden said. "Everything we're doing in this park is worthwhile and needed to be done anyway, whether times were good or bad."

As part of his tour Biden stopped at one of Yellowstone's big projects: a $4.7 million replacement of the 50-year-old Madison Wastewater Treatment Plant, which park workers say is bad for the environment (the stimulus-generated plant will hold double the capacity and work more efficiently).

Biden told the AP that he was going to spend the rest of Monday touring Yellowstone with his 16 year-old granddaughter, Naomi. On Tuesday, he will speak from the Grand Canyon's South Rim.

Comments

[havealittletalk]

01:42 PM on 08/19/2010

I've no problem with money spent on maintaining the parks. But I certainly had a problem with Biden's July 27th visit to the Grand Canyon that shut down the best route on the South Rim for 6 hours for a photo op/ by invitation speech to a handful of Park rangers. See "This One's for Joe Biden" at www.havealittletalk.wordpress.com for a commoner's experience of Biden's day at the park.

[Majorbob53]

08:46 AM on 08/10/2010

Fox News Headline: Once again the Obama administration is showing it's contempt for middle america by having the VP "tour" national parks when in reality it is just a vacation during difficult economic times. Michelle goes to Spain, and the President vacations in Chicago, and Biden goes to the parks with his grandaughter while millions of americans are staying home because of the economic mess created by Obama. Also, National Parks were and are a land grab by the federal government closing off thousands of acres of land to the timber, mining and oil/gas industries. Once again tthe Obama administration is showing it's anti-business stance.

[enoughofrr]

08:28 PM on 07/28/2010

They don't spend nearly enough on the national parks.

[wlkcrk]

02:17 AM on 07/28/2010

Yellowstone should have wide roads so you can stop all along the road to see things, like Banf has. They've eliminated all pull offs so no stopping.

[PrincipiaChamp]

07:02 PM on 07/27/2010

Thanks Mr. Vice President! BTW...looks like your strategy for Afghanistan is the one that was best all along. But then, many of us already knew that. Love ya Joe.