Latest news with #NationalParkServices
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
If not now, then when? Silica dust has been a problem for decades
Hawk's Nest Tunnel during construction in 1930. Workers had to drill through rock that contained high levels of silica, making workers sick within months. (National Park Services photo) As the West Virginia Legislature wound up its less than stellar session this year, the titled words to this commentary, rooted in the teachings of Hillel the Elder, a Jewish sage who lived in the first century CE, echoed in my mind, reaching an even greater, fevered pitch knowing that JFK and John Lewis were known to echo the phrase often in the context of political and social activism. The power in those five words resounds loud and clear to each of us — at least we can hope they do. While state legislators were tasked with a number of vital pieces of legislation, I honed in on the continued and shameful disregard for the certain and necessary protections of West Virginia's coal miners whose lives continue to be threatened from the inhalation of silica dust particles, which is the leading cause of black lung disease, along with lung cancer, kidney disease, COPD and cardiovascular illnesses. In learning that a federal appeals court issued a temporary stay on the implementation of what advocates have called a long overdue industry rule that would have limited how much silica dust coal miners are exposed to, I recalled one of the nation's worst industrial tragedies — the building of the Hawks Nest Tunnel in Fayette County, West Virginia, in the early 1930s, when an economic depression plagued this country. Stop for a minute to consider the incredulity of a period of time fighting the same issue that spans nearly one hundred years. It's outrageous. In the fall of 1990, shortly after completing my graduate work, I wrote a piece for Goldenseal titled, 'Hawks Nest, the Novel.' Since my graduate thesis focused on the history of early West Virginia authors, it would not have been complete without a discussion of Hubert Skidmore's controversial work. Still, after all these years, the same threat to every coal miner's life continues. It's unfathomable that this is still an issue. In fact, it's obscene. The silica rock that the builders of the Hawks Nest Tunnel drilled through — completely unprotected — is being breathed by Appalachian coal miners today, in 2025. The tunnel workers developed horrendous coughs and had trouble breathing, ending their shifts covered in a thick blanket of dust. Some died and were buried in unmarked graves in a field in Summersville, often before their families were informed of their death. The only time the dust was abated was when the foreman announced the arrival of the mine inspector and turned on the water to keep the dust down. Once the mine inspector left, the water was turned off and remained off. A reviewer for the New York Times reported in 1941, 'It is a story of crass injustice to make the reader's blood boil.' Fast forward decades later and the problem persists. Why? The answer is simple — money. Imposing regulations in order to keep the related diseases caused by the breathing of silica dust at bay cost money, and coal operators/owners don't want their bottom lines (i.e., profits) affected negatively. Valuing profits over people's lives is incomprehensible. How can basic, decent concern for your fellow man, the very men who risk their lives to line your pockets with even more profit, be ignored? Yes, we are a country that is divided at every turn, wrestling with politicians who, on one side, fight for the worker and who, on the other, quite simply don't. Corporate profits versus tighter safety measures for coal miners has a long history, none more obvious than in West Virginia. Are we going to be writing this same story in yet another decade from now? Are we going to leave it to the next generation to tackle? At what point are we going to say, 'Enough!' Theodore Roosevelt issued these resounding words: 'There can be no life without change, and to be afraid of what is different or unfamiliar is to be afraid of life.' I don't think it's inherent in the human spirit to belittle the worker and be concerned only with corporate greed. I think that the latter is a conscious choice that must certainly plague the conscience of those who choose to put their own interests above everything that is inherently decent and good about mankind. I often wonder what events, experiences led someone to toss aside respect and decency and concern for their fellow man and prioritize only their own agenda. I guarantee there is a reason, for to suggest that the workers' concerns are irrelevant is a clear example of pure disregard for those who built this country, brick by brick and shovel by shovel, asking only that they be protected as they reaped enough to provide the basic necessities for their families, while the industry barons rode their backs all the way to the banks, not feeling the least bit responsible for the price paid by the workers. It was unacceptable then, is now, and always will be unacceptable. Yet still, it continues. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Yahoo
Nine-mile Blue Ridge Parkway closing Monday for repaving and rehab work
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – The National Park Services announced that Parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway will be closed on Monday, April 14, for repaving and rehabilitation. The closure will take place from milepost 95.9 at Montvale Overlook to milepost 106 near U.S. Route 460. The nine-mile closure is funded through the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Funded Project. This is a 75-million-dollar project to include the following: lope stabilization; road resurfacing; repair or replacement of drainage structures, curbs, walks, shoulders, guardrails, stone walls, overlooks, pavement markings, and signage. Nearly 200 miles of Blue Ridge Parkway reopens as long-term work remains in North Carolina A detour will be in place, and motorists will be guided to take Highway 43 through Bedford and Route 460 north of Vinton. The full closure will be in place to keep parkway visitors, staff, and hikers safe. (Photo Credit: National Park Service) The project will also be a part of a smaller series of closures in the coming months from milepost 106, near U.S. Route 460, and milepost 121, near U.S. Route 220. For road status and detour maps, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Yahoo
Iconic National Park Hiking Trail Just Closed Indefinitely
The National Park Services announced that a popular trail at an iconic national park will close due to staff shortages. For the unforeseeable future, the picturesque Fiery Furnace at Arches National Park in Utah will be temporarily closed. The agency said that "no ranger-led tours nor self-guided permits will be issued until further notice." Prior to the closure, visitors had the opportunity to take a guided ranger tour or purchase one of the 75 daily permit for a self-guided hike. The Fiery Furnace is a popular destination for experienced hikers and visitors who enjoy the maze-like nature. Hikers "walk and climb on irregular and broken sandstone, along narrow ledges above drop-offs, and in loose sand. There are gaps you must jump across and narrow places that you must squeeze into and pull yourself up and through. In some places, you must hold yourself off the ground by pushing against the sandstone walls with your hands and feet." As for the staff shortage, the Trump administration's hiring freeze has led to hundreds of job offers at the National Park Service being rescinded. This has happened not just at Arches National Park but others across the country as well. The agency also saw 1,000 employees laid off, according to Axios. Related: Google Data Reveals the Five Most Popular National Parks for Hiking 'We were told that we were safe from this, that our jobs still existed and we would continue to be hired,' a seasonal worker told SFGATE after having their job offer rescinded. 'I plan my year around NPS seasons, including renting apartments, putting in notices at my off-season jobs, and making hotel arrangements for travel. I don't know where I'm going at this point.' Axios also reported that about 5,000 seasonal jobs at the National Park Service were rescinded. After public outcry, the offers were reinstated, but many positions remain unfilled after seasonal workers found jobs elsewhere.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
Tragic Update on National Park Hiker Who Went Missing Last Year
Authorities on Tuesday announced that the remains of 73-year-old hiker Thomas Irwin were located during an off-trail grid search at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado following an exhaustive search and rescue operation that began more than a year ago. According to the National Park Services, the Indianapolis, IN., man set off to hike the famed Petroglyph Point Trail on Jan. 15, 2024. The trail is near the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum, and it's a 2.4-mile loop that takes approximately two hours to complete. The hike is said to follow "a foot-worn trail of the Ancestral Pueblo people into the forested Spruce Canyon landscape and along a sometimes steep, rocky path to the canyon's rim." The trail is also described as "narrow, rugged, and rocky, with several steep drop-offs along the canyon wall on the way to the petroglyph panel." When he didn't return from his hike the next day, Irwin's family contacted park rangers, who launched a search and rescue operation. Though his cell phone was reportedly found and turned over to authorities, Irwin could not be located following an extensive, initial 10-day officials say they didn't let up in their search efforts over the last year, which led to the Feb. 28 discovery of Irwin's remains . Officials say the discovery came with the help of a human remains detection dog. Irwin's remains were located within the original search area during an off-trail grid search, officials say. "We sincerely appreciate and recognize the dedication of the Mesa Verde Resource and Visitor Protection Team and other park staff who continued the search for Mr. Irwin," said Mesa Verde Superintendent Kayci Cook. "We are glad this provides some closure for his family." The National Park Service warns those visiting the famed trail to "remain on the trail and avoid walking alongside unstable cliff edges," remain hydrated, and avoid hiking during the hottest part of the day.
USA Today
17-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
National Park ranger in Iowa among thousands fired Friday: 'Is this really happening?'
National Park ranger in Iowa among thousands fired Friday: 'Is this really happening?' Show Caption Hide Caption From Veterans Affairs to the CDC: Trump, Musk fire federal workers President Donald Trump and DOGE head Elon Musk cut thousands of probationary positions after only 3.3% of federal workers took Trump's buyout offer. An Iowan was among 1,000 National Park Services employees unexpectedly fired on Valentine's Day. Brian Gibbs' Facebook post announcing his sudden departure garnered more than 73,000 reactions, over 11,000 comments and 180,000 shares — something the former Effigy Mounds education park ranger didn't expect but knew was a story he needed to tell. "My life every day is that I put on the green and gray. That is who I have been the past year," Gibbs said in an interview. "Long term, I'm not sure what's next." The fired National Parks Service members are part of President Donald Trump's efforts to shrink the federal workforce. The National Parks Service has yet to officially announce the layoffs. The National Park Service did not respond to a request for comment from the Register, part of the USA TODAY Network. 'It's a lie': Federal workers incensed by performance language in termination letters The 1,000 workers are roughly 5% of the NPS workforce, which employs more than 20,000 people, according to the NPS website. The announcement came alongside approval from the Trump administration to begin hiring 5,000 seasonal workers even though federal hiring had just been put on a freeze. "Unfortunately, today's cuts will leave parks understaffed, facing tough decisions about operating hours, public safety and resource protection," a release from the National Parks Conservation Association said Friday. 'Threatening emails' had National Park Services employees waiting for news Gibbs, 41, and other NPS employees knew there was something big coming — they'd gotten "threatening emails" that had come down the chain about potential layoffs — but they didn't know when. "We had a 10 a.m. meeting (on Friday, Feb. 14), and (Gibbs' supervisor) said that there could be cuts coming to probationary employees," Gibbs said. "We didn't know the exact number." "All day Friday, it's just like, 'Well, what am I?' Gibbs said. "I'm like, 'Is this really happening?'" Gibbs, who grew up in Boone, was locked out of his email during his Feb. 14 shift, not knowing whether he was among the thousands of workers fired. His supervisor confirmed his dismissal later that day. "Without any type of formal notice, my position was ripped out from out under my feet at 4 p.m. on a cold snowy Friday," Gibbs wrote in his posts on social media. "Before I could fully print off my government records, I was locked out of my email and unable to access my personal and professional records." The email, obtained by the Register, contradicted what had earlier been told to Gibbs about his "excellent performance," stating: "The Department determined that you have failed to demonstrate fitness or qualifications for continued employment because your subject matter knowledge, skills, and abilities do not meet the Department's current needs, and it is necessary to terminate, during the probationary period, your appointment..." More: 'Took away my hope.' Federal workers say Trump mass firings upended their lives A native Iowan dedicated to the National Parks Gibbs, who lives in Elkader, has worked with the National Park Services seasonally for years — from Glacier National Park in Montana to northeastern Iowa. He said working for the National Park Services was his dream job. "I knew that I wanted to work outdoors for a really long time," Gibbs told the Register in a phone interview Sunday. "That was instilled by my father taking me to state parks and national parks, and my mom taking me outdoors a lot as a kid." This is the second time Gibbs' position has been eliminated within the past five years — the first was at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, as a programs manager at the natural resources field station in 2020 amidst budget shortfalls due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He took the job at Effigy Mounds in northeast Iowa as another chance to pursue his dream of working with nature. Effigy Mounds is a national monument situated along the Mississippi River on the Wisconsin border in the small town of Harpers Ferry. The location is known as one of the most picturesque areas of Iowa in the Upper Mississippi River Valley. "This was, you know, it's truly been my dream, dream position," Gibbs said. "I grew up in Boone and you know, this area was the first place my dad took me to on camping trips. I fell in love with the area at a young age. It's the first place that I told my spouse that I love her... It's a sacred spot." Pikes Peak State Park, just south of the Effigy Mounds, made the list of the 100 most breathtaking views in America in 2024. Gibbs said he was the 'voice for American Indian cultures' The Mounds, which were declared a national monument in 1949 by then-President Harry Truman, were built in the Late Woodland Period, 1400-750 B.P., in the shapes of birds, bears, deer, bison, lynx, turtles, panthers or water spirit, according to the National Park Service website. The bear and the bird shapes are the most prominent mounds in northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin. The Mounds, built for burial and ceremonial purposes, are associated with 20 American Indian tribes, including the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa. Gibbs said he was the "voice for American Indian cultures," the "protector of 2500-year-old American Indian burial and ceremonial mounds," and the "defender of your public lands and waters," according to his Facebook announcement. Herbert Hoover's birthplace, and parts of the Lewis and Clark and the Mormon Pioneer Trails are the only other places in Iowa overseen by the National Park Service. More: Hundreds of FAA employees fired by Trump administration weeks after mid-air DC collision Two NPS employees laid off at Effigy Mounds Gibbs told the Register that one other employee at Effigy Mounds was fired Friday. He said the cuts will increase the strain on a short-staffed park. Only eight employees, including the superintendent, maintenance and other service roles, work at the national monument. The Effigy Mounds visitor center had to close because of staffing shortages, Gibbs told the Register. "These dedicated civil servants that, you know, exceeded expectations, are being fired," Gibbs said. "They just all of a sudden determined that they weren't of fitness or quality, or that their programs didn't matter." Gibbs, who was not even a year into his full-time service as a park ranger, was "exceeding expectations," according to a recent employee appraisal done for probationary employees. More: Which agencies are being impacted by DOGE? Education Department, USAID, NIH and more He and his wife Emily, parents of a four-year-old son, Oliver, who is also an NPS junior ranger, have a baby on the way. They are now dealing with the reality of Gibbs losing his job. "There's a lot of people being impacted," Gibbs said. "I'm directly impacted. I'm losing my insurance. My spouse is expecting to bring our second child into the world in June, so we have to navigate that realm of transitioning." The Boone native has a website dedicated to his nature photography, while he also writes for outdoor magazines. He is taking time to process losing his dream job and how to navigate the road ahead "I honestly have no idea," Gibbs said. "We had to relocate before, and that was traumatizing during COVID, but it also gave us resiliency, and we recognize that, and we will resist, we will persist, but I am really worried about having to leave my homeland, my community here."
