Yellowstone Plans to Use Micro hydro to Provide Electricity for Mammoth Hot SpringsInterior Secretary Ken Salazar announced last week that National Parks across the country will receive $750 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The parks will use the funds for critical park needs and improving visitor experience. Most notably, the list also includes $90 million for implementing green technologies and energy efficiency upgrades.

Yellowstone was allocated $1.65 million to invest in an innovative project for adding renewable energy to the Mammoth Hot Springs Area.  By putting a new “spin” on an old idea (a great pun used in the NPS release), the park will retool a century old discontinued micro hydro system to harness power from drinking water already in use—the resulting clean and green power will reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 695 tons.

Zion National Park plans to install new solar panels at its headquarters and museum, while Canyonlands will use funds to increase energy efficiency in its maintenance buildings. Gates of the Artic will add a new wind turbine system at Anaktuvuk Pass Ranger station, while Channel Islands will invest in a solar array at its headquarters. Similarly, Yosemite plans to add solar power to its headquarters in El Portal.

For more information and a complete list of projects, visit the website for the Department of the Interior Recovery Investments.