WASHINGTON – Under pressure from governors, the Obama administration said Thursday it will allow some shuttered national parks to reopen – as long as states use their own money to pay for park operations.
Governors in at least four states, including Colorado, have asked for authority to reopen national parks within their borders because of the economic impacts caused by the park closures. All 401 national park units – including such icons as the Grand Canyon and Yosemite and Zion national parks – have been closed since Oct. 1 because of the partial government shutdown. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees have been furloughed, and lawmakers from both parties have complained that park closures have wreaked havoc on nearby communities that depend on tourism.
“The Department of Interior today announced states could consider agreements with governors who indicate an interest in reopening national parks in their states,” said Eric Brown, communications director for Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. “We have expressed interest in finding a way to keep Trail Ridge Road open in Rocky Mountain National Park until the road closes for the winter. Trail Ridge Road is an important access point for Estes Park and allows two points of entry into the town in the wake of recent flooding.”
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said the government will consider offers to use state money to resume park operations, but will not surrender control of national parks or monuments to the states. Jewell called on Congress to act swiftly to end the government shutdown so all parks can reopen.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said his state would accept the federal offer to reopen Utah’s five national parks.
Utah would have to use its own money to staff the parks, and it will cost $50,000 a day to operate just one of them, Zion National Park, said Herbert’s deputy chief of staff, Ally Isom.
Herald staff writer Joe Hanel contributed to this report.
