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UPDATED | National Parks Told To Dip Into Fee Revenues For Maintenance And Sanitation

Growing problems involving human waste and litter have prompted Interior Department officials to clear the way for national parks to tap fee revenues typically reserved for future projects to pay for basic maintenance and custodial needs during the ongoing partial government shutdown. The move was immediately criticized by the National Parks Conservation Association, which voiced concerns over the use of fee revenues as well as inequities involving parks that don't collect fees.

New Executive Order Could Open Forests In National Parks To Logging

An executive order expected to be posted Monday in the Federal Register is somewhat open-ended in directing the Interior and Agriculture departments to actively manage forests to reduce the risk of wildfires. Conservationists are concerned how the order could either directly or indirectly affect lands within the National Park System.

Democrat Cites Economic Impacts In Calling For Government Shutdown To Be Lifted

U.S. Raúl M. Grijalva, who is expected to chair the House Natural Resources Committee in the new Congress, said the longer the partial government shutdown continues the more economic damage will be done to the National Park Service as well as the tourism sector aligned with the outdoors.

Unease Hangs Over National Parks As Partial Shutdown Continues

Sinking morale among the National Park Service ranks and accumulating human waste and garbage are just some of the symptoms of the ongoing government shutdown that has left many national parks open but without adequate staffing. Not so visible are the impacts being suffered in long-term environmental monitoring, work on visitor management plans and environmental impact statements, and even potential setbacks to the hiring of next summer's seasonal rangers.