National Parks Told to Remain Open During Shutdown Despite Risks
Sites were damaged when they remained open to the public during the last government shut down in 2018.
The Washington Monument on the National Mall. Many sites managed by the US National Park Service have been ordered to remain open amid the shutdown.
Photographer: Graeme Sloan/BloombergNational Park Service leaders have been instructed to keep most parks open if the federal government shuts down, according to an agency memo viewed by Bloomberg Businessweek.
The memo states that “park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors.” While most of the agency’s approximately 16,000 employees are expected to be put on furlough, President Donald Trump’s administration may use entrance fee revenue to maintain a small number of staff, including those responsible for law enforcement and emergency response, fire suppression, and health and safety.