The Trump administration has been urged to close national parks in the event of a government shutdown.
The government is on the brink of a shutdown because Republicans and Democrats in the Senate cannot agree on a short-term funding bill sent up by the House. Republicans are calling on Democrats to support a resolution to give the government more time to flesh out a full spending bill but Democrats leaders are demanding extensions to health care funding in return, creating a stalemate.
Nonpartisan group the National Parks Conservation Association (NCPA) said in a statement that if the shutdown goes ahead, parks will be left unattended leaving them vulnerable to damage. The parks, therefore, should shutdown too, they said. Meanwhile, a group of former national park superintendents wrote a letter to the Department of the Interior calling for the same action.
Newsweek contacted the NCPA, the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service (NPS) by email to comment on this story.
Why It Matters
If negotiations fail, and the government shuts down, this will have an impact on operations across different parts of government and could disrupt services including the NPS, the government agency that oversees 433 parks, historic sites and other units across the U.S. The NPS has already reported a staffing crisis at a time of record visitor levels. In 2024, the National Park Service reported a new high of more than 331 million recreational visits. A shutdown would exacerbate these staffing issues.
What To Know
In a statement, the NPCA warned that last time park staff left parks unattended when the government shutdown between December 2018 and January 2019, artifacts and trees in the parks were stolen and vandalized.
Meanwhile, former park superintendents in the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and the Association of National Park Rangers have also called on the Trump administration to close national parks to visitors in the event of a shutdown. In a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, 40 former superintendents said that leaving parks open would lead to trash, vandalization and other damage.
“Leaving parks even partially open to the public during a shutdown with minimal—or no—park staffing is reckless and puts both visitors and park resources at risk,” they wrote.
They added: “National parks don’t run themselves. It is hardworking National Park Service employees that keep them safe, clean and accessible.
“As stewards of these American treasures, we urge you to prioritize both conservation and visitor safety and protect our national parks during a potential shutdown, and into the future. If sufficient staff aren’t there, visitors shouldn’t be either.”
What People Are Saying
William F. Hall, Adjunct Professor of Political Science and Business, Webster University and Adjunct Instructor of Political Science at Maryville University and Washington University in St. Louis told Newsweek: “There is perhaps no other service or benefit provided to the American public, than the invaluable, irreplaceable and highly fragile natural resources, programs, services and benefits managed, administered and provided by, the National Park Service, established during President Woodrow Wilson’s administration in 1916. Previous damage and extensive destruction to the national parks, specifically due to a lack of staff to properly manage park’s resources, because of a government shutdown, have been devastating to the national parks and their ecosystem, including but not limited to, infrastructure, natural environment, nature trails, artifacts, forestry, wildlife and many other related national park’s resources. This previous damage and destruction to our national parks took years, if not decades to repair and undo, in some cases. It would, therefore, also appear that, with another federal government shutdown looming or to occur eminently, that barring a complete and total shutdown of the National Parks, should another federal government shutdown occur, these same highly damaging and devastating issues and concerns would, most likely, be much in evidence and experienced by our national parks, to their extreme detriment and damage, once again.”
In a statement, Theresa Pierno, NPCA’s President and CEO said: “NPCA will not stand by and watch history repeat itself.
“As a federal government shutdown looms, the National Park Service still isn’t being told who will be able to staff the parks and more importantly, who will not be allowed to.”
She added: “If the federal government shuts down, unfortunately our parks should too.”
“If ever there was a time for Americans to speak up and tell lawmakers to protect our national parks, it’s now. Before even more permanent damage is done.”
What Happens Next
To avoid a government shutdown, a deal needs to be made by Wednesday, October 1.
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