Schwarzenegger to receive national park award
By DON THOMPSON, Associated Press Writer

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

(10-28) 16:30 PDT Sacramento, Calif. (AP) --

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is heading to the nation's capital this week to receive a national award from a park advocacy group, an honor that is being criticized by some park supporters in California.

The National Park Trust will honor the Republican governor Thursday with its Bruce F. Vento Public Service Award. The Rockville, Md.-based organization says it recognized Schwarzenegger for protecting thousands of acres of ranch land, creating the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, promoting youth fitness and addressing climate change.

In May, Schwarzenegger proposed saving $70 million by closing 220 of California's 279 state parks. He later moderated his proposal before eventually working out a deal with lawmakers to keep parks open by cutting spending elsewhere in the park department budget.

On Tuesday, he announced a list of service cuts and reduced operating hours that will remain in effect through at least June. Over the summer, Schwarzenegger opposed funding parks with a $15 surcharge on vehicle registrations, saying it amounted to a new tax.

"We think the governor has actually left the park system more vulnerable," said Traci Verardo-Torres, vice president of government affairs at the California State Parks Foundation.

"We would prefer that people not honor the governor under the guise of park protection until we see a real effort toward park protection by this administration."



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