Why Park Staff Are Asking for Immediate Closure of Grand Canyon Amid Government Shutdown?

The U.S. government induced a nationwide shutdown of government services, but it has taken a severe toll on the employees. The staff working at these sites possibly faced the harshest consequences of this political decision. Most of them no longer have a job, and the sites they once worked at have become a ground of utter nuisance. At national parks, the lack of park rangers has prompted visitors to take daring steps, illegally partaking in activities like BASE jumping. It seems that government workers have finally decided to voice their concerns.

Around 450 former national park leaders have sent a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, asking to close all parks at the earliest. Although there's an ongoing shutdown, the public has been given a free pass to enter the government premises, a decision that has only had adverse effects. "We write to you with great alarm after dangerous and life-threatening incidents at national parks and urge you once again to close all national parks until the government re-opens," the letter read. They listed some of the illegal activities that have been witnessed at these sites recently.

They pointed out the increased illegal BASE jumping at Yosemite National Park and the burning of a wildfire near an unstaffed campground in Joshua Tree National Park. They also singled out reports complaining about the overflowing of the bathroom, careless disposition of trash, and trails that have been left unmonitored. "These clearly demonstrate the problems with keeping parks open with minimal or no staff," they added. The letter also emphasized the important role that staff at these national parks and other government sites play in keeping things in order.

A similar request was previously made by 40 former employees, warning the authorities of the potential threat to national parks, but their plea was ignored. "This summer, well before this shutdown, our parks were already being pushed to the brink by funding and staffing cuts," they added. The letter also quoted findings from a recent New York Times report, which claimed that at least 90 parks that tried to comply with Secretarial Order 3426 were damaged. In this order, parks remain accessible to the public even with a restricted number of working staff.

Grand Canyon is among the many national parks that are being exploited by the public amid the shutdown. The stunning site has become a dumping ground with trash in the washrooms and on the ground. "I’m really surprised. I grew up in this area, so it looks pretty much the same. The only difference is you’re not seeing park rangers," a visitor said, as reported by Fox 10. Although there were no rangers, a shuttle driver spoke to the outlet, expressing his concerns. He revealed that the national park has been closing departments and feared that the shuttle service department would be next.

The concession store was one department that was open and had clerks working there amid the shutdown. When asked about the consequences of not having a park ranger, one of the clerks admitted that it's dangerous. "Because if someone gets hurt or lost, how are you going to find them?" he added. The former national park employees acknowledged that the closure was a tough decision for the authorities, but that doesn't allow them the right to ignore its consequences. However, there's been no response from President Donald Trump and Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, so far.