Denali just one of the parks to get stimulus money

Hundreds of national parks, including 30 projects in Alaska are being funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Denali National Park has a list of 9 specific projects to be funded, totaling just over $16 million.  Replacing the front country wastewater treatment facility has been on a want list for years.

Also on the list is the closing of one of the parks’ mines; building the emergency services facility; rehabilitating utility systems at C-Camp, repairing the Wonder Lake campground sewer line; trail repair; Autoshop improvements, and multiple campground improvements. Not on the list is the proposed South Denali Visitor Center.

Ten other parks around the state received millions of dollars in the stimulus package as well. The next biggest allotment goes to Katmai National Park, to demolish and replace the King Salmon maintenance building.  Parks throughout Alaska are receiving funds for AmeriCorps volunteers to remove invasive plant species.

In total, about $750 million  is being distributed to the U.S. national park system. However, that pales to the estimated $9 billion  in backlog maintenance projects throughout the national park system.