Pork Alert: House Interior and Environment

Washington, D.C. – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released its preliminary analysis of the House version of the fiscal year (FY) 2011 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.  There are 127 projects costing taxpayers $92.6 million in the bill.  This represents a 53.3 percent decrease from the 272 projects and a 40.6 percent decrease from the $156 million in cost in FY 2010.

Some of the outrageous examples of wasteful spending include:

• $2,000,000 by Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) for the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.  This trail, which totals 1,200 miles and includes public land and state and county parks, charges camping, parking and registration fees, all of which could be raised to cover the $2 million earmark.

• $1,000,000 by Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) for an industrial force sewer main in the city of North Pole.  According to The Washington Post, the small town of 2,200 received $3 million in stimulus funds earlier this year for sewer projects.

• $700,000 by Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) for Great Falls National Historical Park.  The Great Falls website details a book store, boat rides, restaurants, park fees, and a donation page, and states that “100% of fees collected are returned to the park for specific projects.”

• $500,000 by Dels. Gregorio Sablan (D-MP) and Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) for the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument Visitor’s Center.  Located in the south Pacific near Guam and the Mariana Islands, the Mariana Trench is the deepest place on earth, although not likely deep enough to fit the spiraling national debt.

• $300,000 by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) for the Lower East Side Tenement Museum.  The museum charges $20 for adult tickets and received approximately 125,000 visitors in 2006.  Increasing ticket prices by $2.40 would remove the burden on federal taxpayers.

• $300,000 by House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman James Moran (D-Va.) for the National Building Museum.  The Washington Post reported on September 28, 2009 that it attracts approximately 200,000 visitors annually, while the museum’s website boasts of its free admission and numerous awards.  Charging each visitor only $1.50 would eliminate this burden on taxpayers.

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government. 

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