Feds say states can pay for reopening national parks

Interior Secretary Sally Jewel announced Oct. 10 that the federal government will allow states to pay the costs of reopening some national parks during the partial government shutdown that had reached its 10th day.

States in the Southwest have been particularly hard hit by the shutdown, where tourism continues to be strong even in October. Republican Utah Gov. Gary Herbert estimated the loss to his state’s tourism industry at about $100 million.

Herbert also estimated that the cost to reopen just Zion National Park at $50,000 a day. And although there’s talk of reimbursing all federal workers furloughed by the shutdown, there’s no guarantee that states would be reimbursed for paying to reopen national parks.

Shortly after the Interior Department announcement, Rep. Steve Daines, R-Montana, spoke with Montana Gov. Steve Bullock about legislation he intended to propose that would guarantee states got reimbursed. Daines cited the importance of Glacier and Yellowstone national parks to the state’s economy.

“Glacier and Yellowstone national parks not only represent an important part of Montana’s heritage — they are important drivers of our state’s economy,” he said in a press release. “While I’m pleased that the Obama administration has finally relented and allowed individual states to get our national parks open again, it’s unacceptable that a state like Montana could be forced to bear even more of a financial burden because of Washington’s failures. My legislation will protect states and ensure they receive full compensation for their work to reopen our national park gates.”

Bullock announced that he opposed reopening the national parks on the state’s dime. He criticized the “reckless and job-killing shutdown” and called for reopening all parts of the federal government, including Social Security offices and death benefits for families of fallen soldiers.

On Oct. 11, Daines and 15 other House members formally introduced House Resolution 3286, the bipartisan Protecting States, Opening National Parks Act which would ensure states are reimbursed within 90 days.

“Our national parks not only represent an important part of this country’s heritage — they are important drivers of many state economies,” Daines said. “While I’m pleased that the Obama administration has finally relented and allowed individual states to get our national parks open again, it’s unacceptable that a state like Montana could be forced to bear even more of a financial burden because of Washington’s failures.”

In a press release, Daines noted that he tried to get partial funding approved last week to keep national parks open during the shutdown. He said the House passed the Open Our National Parks and Museum Act with bipartisan support, but it was blocked by the Democratic-controlled Senate.

The House wanted to pass a federal budget bill on Sept. 30 that included defunding Obamacare, which the Senate turned down, causing the partial government shutdown on Oct. 1.  Since then, the Democrats have said they want a “clean” budget resolution, while House has offered smaller spending resolutions addressing things like national parks and death benefits for families of soldiers killed in Afghanistan.