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Opinion
Editorial: Kempthorne a 'fresh breeze' at Interior


"A good Interior secretary should have a keen understanding of the need to balance development with environmental protection. In the West, there's no hotter issue.

The new Interior chief, former Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, took a smart step in that direction Monday by reversing one of his predecessor's policies and embracing the preservation of our nation's treasured resources.

In his first major policy announcement, Kempthorne endorsed a "no impairment" standard that emphasizes protecting national parks' natural features. It was a signal that Kempthorne's Interior Department would rather see fewer snowmobiles, off-road vehicles and cellphone towers in America's national parks. That's in striking contrast to former Interior Secretary Gale Norton's effort to loosen the standards used by local managers in deciding what park uses to allow, such as motorized recreation."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Fresh breeze at Interior Dept. (The Denver Post 6/21)

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