What does a government shutdown have to do with national parks? Well, since the National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government, a lot. As a potential government shutdown looms, here’s what people need to know about the country’s parks, monuments, and more.
First, let’s take a moment to discuss government shutdowns. In the U.S., a shutdown occurs when a lack of funding forces non-essential government operations to stop. Funding issues arise when Congress members fail to agree on and pass a budget. While national parks don’t always close during a shutdown, they did amid the 2013 government shutdown.
Will the government shutdown close national parks?
Each government shutdown is unique. During the 2018-2019 shutdown, parks remained open with limited staff. While many adventurous tourists probably enjoyed these lands staying open, the decision caused a lot of trouble.
As Outside writer Wes Siler explained, “Even while maintenance crews and Rangers were furloughed, park visitation boomed. Trash and toilets overflowed, sensitive ecological areas were damaged, artifacts were stolen, and people died.”
Local business owners near national parks also face trouble during government shutdowns. According to the NPS, “visitor spending in communities near national parks in 2020 resulted in a $28.6 billion benefit to the nation’s economy and supported 234,000 jobs.” If the parks close, businesses that benefit from visitor spending face real trouble.
As Liz Skelton, owner of Yosemite Blue Butterfly Inn, told CBS Sacramento, “It’s these small little towns outside of these federal parks that get hit the worst on all this.”
During the 2018-2019 government shutdown, Utah paid to keep several of its national parks open. Governor Spencer Cox has already announced plans to do so again should a 2023 shutdown occur. Similarly, Governor Katie Hobbs of Arizona has stated that she intends to use state funds to keep the Grand Canyon open during a potential shutdown.