The presidents of such organizations as the American Geological Institute and the American Institute of Biological Sciences have written or signed letters to the park's superintendent expressing concerns that the book's presence could leave visitors with the impression that it is endorsed by the National Park Service.
Answers in Genesis, a ministry whose president wrote an essay in the book, is urging its supporters to ask park service officials to permit "Grand Canyon: A Different View" to remain on the shelves of the park's three bookstores.
The debate has reached the point that a Washington policy office of the National Park Service is considering how to handle the matter, officials said. "They sent the book in here and we're looking at it with our attorneys to try to get a policy statement out," said David Barna, spokesman for the National Park Service. "It's not so much about this book as it is about what we do with the other views of the way geologic features in parks were created."
The difference between the views of some groups is--literally--millions of years apart. "The Grand Canyon was formed millions of years ago," said William Ausich, president of the Paleontological Society, who signed a letter along with presidents of six other scientific organizations. "It is the job of the National Park Service to present the best scientific information possible to the public and the book is complete pseudoscience."
Mark Looy, vice president of Answers in Genesis, said four staff members of his organization contributed essays to the book and believe the canyon is much newer. "The canyon was formed as a result of the aftereffects of Noah's flood, a worldwide global flood," he said. "Most of the canyon was formed by a lot of water over a relatively short period of time."
His organization, based in the Cincinnati suburb of Florence, Ky., has raised $10.5 million toward the construction of a Creation Museum.
