
President Obama making remarks after touring Everglades National Park on Earth Day. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Obama also said that the nation's economy gets a 1000 percent return from federal funds that are "invested" in the National Park Service.
"First, we’re releasing a report showing that every dollar invested in the National Park Service generates $10 for the economy," said Obama. "That’s a good investment. I don’t run a private equity fund, but I know that if you invest a dollar and you get $10 back, that’s a good investment.
"In 2014, almost 300 million visitors to our national parks spent almost $16 billion and supported 277,000 jobs," asid Obama. "So protecting our parks is a smart thing to do for our economy. That’s why I’ve set aside more public lands and waters than any administration in history."