Trey Pollard trey.pollard@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, DC - Donald Trump has shut down the U.S. government in a failed effort to force taxpayers to fund his useless, divisive, dangerous and exorbitant border wall. This is a shutdown he said he would be “proud” to own. Trump’s government shutdown -- now expected to last at least into next week -- is putting thousands of people out of work and denying public servants their paychecks right before the holidays. Bloomberg News reports that the shutdown will require 420,000 federal employees to work without pay, and will mean that 380,000 workers are sent home.
According to the National Parks Conservation Association, at least one-third of the nation’s 400 parks are closed. The NPCA also notes that in December, the National Park System sees nearly 500,000 visitors per day who spend around $18 million per day in nearby communities, on average.
Already, images and stories from shuttered and unstaffed parks are pouring in across social media:
Ft. Mchenry - Teddy Roosevelt Birthplace - Mt. Rainier - Illegal Wolf Hunting in Yellowstone? - Independence National Historic Park - Lowell National Historic Park - Acadia National Park - Guilford Courthouse Military Park - Taft National Historic Site - Rocky Mountain National Park - Petrified Forest
Local communities are already braced for the uncertainty surrounding park staffing. Before the shutdown began, the Detroit News reported, “Under a partial shutdown, Michigan's five national parks would remain open, but most of the employees won’t be there under a contingency plan. Among the services that wouldn't be provided would be restrooms, trash collection and road maintenance.” Those effects are expected to get worse as the shutdown continues.
In Response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:
“Trump may be proud of forcing this shutdown, but there is nothing honorable about putting our National Parks, tens of thousands of visitors, and the communities that rely on them at risk. Right now, families from coast to coast should be able to enjoy special places like Grand Canyon, Yosemite and the Statue of Liberty at their best, but because of Trump’s shutdown, the safety and certainty of these experiences is in question. These special places shouldn’t be jeopardized so Trump can play political games to force taxpayers to fund a divisive, destructive wall that would tear apart borderlands communities and endanger the environment . Congress should put an immediate end to Trump’s shutdown by fully funding the government and rejecting any funding for his wall so that Americans can enjoy our public lands in safety and security.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.