Arizona and Utah Commit to Maintaining Access to National Parks Amid Possible Federal Shutdown

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In light of a potential federal government shutdown, Arizona and Utah have pledged to keep their iconic national parks accessible. The move aims to protect tourism to Arizona’s Grand Canyon, characterized by its distinct orange stripes, and Utah’s Zion Valley, known for its imposing red cliffs.

State budgets stand to benefit as the visitor spending in the areas surrounding the parks is expected to continue uninterrupted.

An impending shutdown could be enacted as soon as this Sunday. Recognizing the substantial economic value of the national parks, Arizona’s Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs and Utah’s Republican Governor Spencer Cox have opted to allocate state funds to maintain the operations of Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and Canyonlands national parks.

From the perspective of Governors Hobbs and Cox, this is fundamentally an economic imperative.

According to the nonprofit organization National Parks Conservation Association, every dollar invested in the National Park Service stimulates more than $15 in economic activity annually. A daily shutdown could result in the loss of nearly one million visitors across all national parks, with adjacent communities potentially losing up to $70 million.

Both governors have expressed their intent to ensure minimal operational levels for these parks, thereby safeguarding the economies of communities that rely heavily on tourism. Governor Cox stated earlier this week that he anticipates reimbursement for these state expenditures, drawing parallels to federal employees who receive back pay following shutdowns. This has been communicated to the Department of Interior.

Governor Hobbs noted that the Arizona Lottery funds would be utilized to maintain Grand Canyon National Park.

During the last federal shutdown in December 2018, Utah spent approximately $7,500 per day to keep Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Arches operational. At that time, the nonprofit Zion Forever Project also contributed $16,000 to maintain essential services at Zion.

Although Arizona’s state funds will not cover all regular operating costs in the event of a shutdown, visitors will still have access to the parks, said Joelle Baird, public affairs specialist for Grand Canyon National Park.

However, the National Park Conservation Association warned that running the parks with inadequate staffing and resources during a shutdown can have deleterious consequences, citing past incidents of vandalism, overflowing trash, and illegal activities.

In contrast to these states, Washington’s Governor Jay Inslee has no plans to allocate extra funding to Mount Rainier and Olympic national parks if a federal shutdown occurs. His office stated that discretionary spending this year is already earmarked for wildfire recovery in Spokane County.

Similarly, Montana’s Governor Greg Gianforte’s office has not indicated whether the state will allocate funds to keep Glacier or Yellowstone national parks open. The Republican governor’s budget team is, however, collaborating with state agencies to prepare for a possible shutdown.

Most of Yellowstone National Park is located in Wyoming, yet three of its five entrances are in Montana. Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon is awaiting further details from the Department of Interior and the White House to fully understand the state’s options.

California’s Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he does not intend to keep state parks open if a federal shutdown happens, citing that the parks fall outside of state jurisdiction. The state has been grappling with a nearly $32 billion budget deficit, necessitating difficult financial decisions.

Contributions to this report were made by AP staff writers Ed Komenda in Olympia, Washington; Amy Beth Hanson in Helena, Montana; Matthew Brown in Billings, Montana; and Tran Nguyen in Sacramento, California.

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More about Federal Shutdown

• National Parks Conservation Association
• U.S. Department of the Interior
• Arizona State Government
• Utah State Government
• Washington State Government
• California State Government
• Associated Press
• Economic Impact of National Parks
• 2018-2019 Federal Government Shutdown
• Arizona Lottery
• Zion Forever Project