In addition to impacts on the USFS, expanding the boundaries of the North Cascades National Park would also have impacts on the existing NCNP management situation. What kind of impacts could those be?
Like any other national park, the NCNP has its budgetary deficits, backlogged maintenance issues and other administrative challenges. The park units themselves are quite large, plus there is the additional oversight of the entire NCNP Complex, which includes the Ross Lake and Lake Chelan national recreation areas. Administratively, park infrastructure and personnel are spread out in wide distances: from the way-out-of the-park headquarters in Sedro-Woolley to Glacier, Stehekin, Marblemount and Newhalem. Expanding the park boundaries eastward along with constructing a visitor center in the Methow Valley would stretch these distances, geographically- and administratively-speaking, even further. Obviously this would require additional federal dollars, funding which is already lacking for the park currently, yet still coming from the same pot of taxpayer revenue.
With an expanded area to cover, the NCNP would undoubtedly have some growth and continual oversight headaches. An expanded National Park Service presence, including enforcement and maintenance, would cost more park money and demand more park resources along with the task of incorporating the new lands into the current management plan, especially with the recreation exceptions that AALP proponents have discussed in regard to current recreation usage that conflict with the park's current rules.
The east side lands along the Highway 20 corridor provide ready access and popular spots for the public to enjoy. Use in these areas would likely additionally increase because of the new national park status. This increase in visitation numbers would require similarly increased park oversight and management undoubtedly equating more regulation.
It appears that the NCNP has its hands full now overseeing such a vast complex with its various issues and challenges. Adding extra acreage that has been under forest service jurisdiction for a long time seems like an unduly burden that is neither desired or needed. But, again, one can inquire with NCNP personnel as to what their viewpoint is regarding the notion of expanding the park.
