Coming to a National Park near you, a Walmart Super Center:

It is prophetic that Ken Burn’s latest production deals with the history of our National Parks. In Mr. Burn’s documentary, he highlighted the fight that has taken place over the years between private commercial interests and those of the larger good of our society. The benefit of our campaign extends to future generations who are not denied the ability to know and share with us the natural glory and historical tradition the National Park System encompasses.Starting most notably with Yosemite National Park and the loss of the Hetch Hetchy Valley to a hydroelectric dam for San Francisco, our National Parks have been the subject of constant battles between those who want to preserve our nations heritage and those who want to exploit the lands for short term economic gain. These battles have raged from The Grand Canyon and Glen Canyon to the Great Smoky Mountains. Most of these battles have involved mining, logging or the creation of hydroelectric dams. But today, a more insidious and transient threat is immerging, but one just as real and threatening as the construction of a dam is; the installation of Walmart Supercenters in or adjacent to our National Parks.In an area of Virginia in which, by congressional authority, an area has been established as part of the Civil War Wilderness Battlefield, but not directly owned or controlled by the National Park system, Walmart was able to obtain a large piece of land right across from the National Park entrance. It has now obtained approval from the local Orange County Planning Commission to build a 140,000 square foot SuperCenter and an adjacent 100,000 sq ft of retail space. These plans are apposed by the National Park Service, the Governor of Virginia, The National Trust for Historic Preservtion, The Civil War Preservation Trust and a whole host of groups and individuals looking to preserve our heritage in the face of Walmart urban sprawl.What is interesting about Walmart’s plans is the existence of 4 Walmart Super centers within approximately 25 miles of this site, 1 to the West and 3 to the east in Fredericksburg. Additionally, the site itself does not appear to be overly viable other than intending to draw people and traffic from the Southwest and taking them right through the National Park to this proposed site. From looking at the maps of the area one would think a better option would be for Walmart to locate in the City of Unionville, VA approximately 15 miles to the SouthWest rather than in this sensitive spot.I am no fan of Walmart and it appears that every battle that this organization enters into over its selection of retail is one predicated on the success of the organization rather than the wisdom of the site. From my opinion, Walmart has done more harm to this country than good. They have single handedly enabled to flow of jobs to move offshore to China and other places in their frenetic drive to provide the lowest and cheapest product to the average consumer. Further, they have taken advantage of their workers by providing them with the lowest possible support possible. Yes, they have allowed us to maintain our standard of living, but I ask again, at what cost.Currently Walmart has approximately 8,500 retail units throughout the world, generates $405 billion in sales and produces net income of almost $15 billion. One would think that it could forgo this site for another more acceptable and less impacting one. The founder of Walmart, Sam Walton used to pride itself on “Buying American”. Maybe they could adopt a slogan like “Protecting America’s Heritage” but I think this is a concept lost on those who run Walmart now.Please join me and others who are fighting this Walmart store. As in the past, the fight to protect our National Parks is never ending and the cause too great to give into short sited benefits.EarlRelevant links:National Trust for Historic PreservationCivil War Preservation TrustGoogle map of the area with historic sites and Walmart storesFrontline series; Is Walmart Good for AmericaWalmart, The Hight Cost of Low Prices