Summary
A government shutdown is set to start soon and could mean that national parks will close. There's no final plan yet on how the parks will handle the shutdown. Past shutdowns left parks under-staffed, causing damage and safety concerns.
Key Facts
- A government shutdown is expected to begin because Congress did not approve a spending plan.
- In past shutdowns, parks were usually closed, but during President Trump's term, they remained open.
- The National Parks Conservation Association wants the parks closed to protect them and visitors.
- Forty former National Park Service (NPS) managers also urged park closures if there's not enough staff.
- In 2019, the parks stayed open with minimal staff, which led to damage that took a long time to fix.
- The Department of the Interior's 2024 plan says parks will generally close if funding stops.
- In previous open times during a shutdown, there was damage from activities like illegal off-roading and vandalism.
