Impacts of Government Shutdown on National Parks and Food Benefits Revealed

The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced that most national parks will close if the federal government shuts down, affecting millions of visitors. The closure would result in locked gates, closed visitor centers, and furloughed park rangers. However, some states, including Arizona and Utah, plan to use their own funds to keep certain parks open, such as the Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches, and Bryce Canyon. In previous shutdowns, states have paid to reopen attractions, but it remains uncertain if they will do the same this time. The decision to close the parks is a departure from the approach taken during the 2018 shutdown, when they were kept open but unstaffed, resulting in lasting damage. The Department of the Interior oversees over 400 national park sites and employs 20,000 workers.