Cash-Strapped National Parks System Considers Alcohol Advertising Within Parks
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- The cash-strapped National Parks system continues to look for new forms of revenue to help keep the parks maintained and open to the public, but a new proposal to allow alcohol companies to place their logos within the parks is getting the ire of health groups.
"If a corporation wanted to give a donation, they could always do that without the expectation of some type of advertisement in return, or to influence park policy. Unfortunately, we know that is not how this type of arrangement goes," Kristen Strader with Public Citizen's said.
A coalition of 66 groups has sent a letter to the National Parks service opposing the plan because it puts youth at risk.
Read the letter here.
In the letter, the groups say allowing the advertising would be harmful to the country's youth.
"Allowing alcohol company logos to be associated with America's national parks disregards public health and puts youth at risk of dangerous drinking behavior," it reads.
"I don't think that corporations have a place in this issue, it really should be the federal government funding our public lands," Strader said.
Strader says the park system's current rules don't allow for partnerships with alcohol or tobacco companies.
"We have public lands that should be funded by Congress. So, the answer is to push harder for Congress to fund our public lands, not for corporations to come in," Strader said.
