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SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, the California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) was joined by advocates and policymakers to testify before a joint legislative hearing regarding the threats to California state parks. The hearing, hosted by Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee and Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, highlighted the increasing number of problems facing state parks including the funding crisis, threats posed by public and private sector development, including toll roads and power lines, deferred maintenance and other threats. Save San Onofre Coalition, California State Park Rangers Association, California League of Park Associations and National Resources Defense Council shared their concerns.
"State parks have increasingly becoming a target and their very existence is being threatened," said Elizabeth Goldstein, CSPF President. "We must protect parks for the future. Based on the comments provided at today's hearing, it is clear there is a deep concern among legislators and advocates about the state of our state parks."
In the wake of the Governor's January 2008 budget proposal to close 48 state parks, a proposal to address the underfunding of the state parks system was introduced and could be included in this year's final budget to bring relief to the state park system. The State Parks Access Pass will bring more than $280 million annually in new funding to support the state park system, while providing free day-use access to California state parks.
Equally important to the long-term fiscal health of the state parks system is the need to protect state parks from threats that impact the physical environment. In addition to solutions that would ensure state parks' fiscal sustainability, impending threats were discussed at the hearing.
Opponents of a proposed toll road through San Onofre State Beach highlighted why the toll road threatens California's fifth-most visited state park. Additionally, advocates shared their concerns about the proposed Sunrise Powerlink, proposed to traverse more than 22 miles through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
About CSPF
With its over 95,000 members, the California State Parks Foundation is the only independent nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting, enhancing and advocating for California's magnificent state parks. For more information about California's state parks, visit www.calparks.org. | 
