States react to Obama offer to pay to reopen parks
Oct 11, 2013, 9:23 PM
(AP) – Ten days after the partial shutdown of the federal government shuttered the Statue of Liberty, Grand Canyon and other national parks, the Obama administration has offered to let states foot the bill to reopen parks within their borders. Here’s how states are reacting to the offer:
ARIZONA
State officials were negotiating with federal officials over the possible reopening of the Grand Canyon. Gov. Jan Brewer is pressing for a partial, less expensive reopening. Interior Department officials said that is not an option.
COLORADO
Colorado agreed to pay about $360,000 to reopen Rocky Mountain National Park through Oct. 20 to boost its main gateway town, Estes Park, which was hit hard by flooding last month.
HAWAII
Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s office said the state is unlikely to reopen national parks because it doesn’t appear it would be reimbursed
MONTANA
Gov. Steve Bullock said his state won’t pick up the tab to reopen Glacier National Park. Bullock said that it’s long past time for Congress to end the “reckless and job-killing shutdown.”
NEVADA
Gov. Brian Sandoval said his state can’t afford the costs of reopening parks when it is already facing critical funding decisions on food stamps, unemployment insurance and aid to women, infants and children.
NEW YORK
Negotiations were underway on the possible reopening of the Statue of Liberty but no deal had been reached, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly.
SOUTH DAKOTA
Gov. Dennis Daugaard was considering the government’s offer but wanted to see how much it would cost. Daugaard was one of at least four governors who requested the authority to open some or all of their parks.
UTAH
Utah was the first state to jump at the federal government’s offer, with Gov. Gary Herbert signing a deal for a 10-day reopening of the state’s five national parks. State officials wired $1.67 million to the federal government, and National Park Service workers began removing barriers and opening gates.
WASHINGTON
Gov. Jay Inslee’s office said the state does not have the money to reopen its popular parks, including Mount Rainier National Park and Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
WYOMING
Gov. Matt Mead’s office said the state would not pay to reopen two heavily visited national parks or the Devils Tower National Monument. Mead spokesman Renny MacKay said, “Wyoming cannot bail out the federal government.”
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
