Impending Government Shutdown Threatens Closure of National Parks

The possibility of a government shutdown is causing concern for national parks and the communities that rely on tourism. If a shutdown occurs, it would be the fourth in a decade, and it could result in the closure of national parks and monuments, leading to the loss of millions of vacations and school trips and costing tourist towns an estimated $70 million per day. Business owners and workers are frustrated by the lack of information from the Department of the Interior, which oversees national parks. Some states, like Arizona and Utah, have expressed their willingness to use state funds to keep parks open if the federal government cannot. The price tag for keeping parks open will depend on the duration of the shutdown and which parks states choose to support. The closure of national parks during previous shutdowns has caused significant economic losses and damage to the parks themselves.