Some National Parks Reopening

[maverick]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/poli ... n/2966785/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Hopefully our state will follow suit.

[maverick]

List of parks that have temporarily reopened: http://www.nps.gov/shutdown/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As a result of donations from states to the National Park Service, the following
national parks are temporarily re-opened.

Arches National Park (Utah, open October 11-20)
Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah, open October 11-20)
Canyonlands National Park (Utah, open October 11-20)
Capitol Reef National Park (Utah, open October 11-20)
Cedar Breaks National Monument (Utah, open October 11-20)
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Utah, open October 11-20)
Natural Bridges National Monument (Utah, open October 11-20)
Zion National Park (Utah, open October 11-20)
Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado, open October 11-20)
Statue of Liberty National Monument (New York, open October 12-17)
Mount Rushmore National Memorial (South Dakota, open October 14-23)
Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona, open October 12-18)

Why can the state of Utah donate money to open 8 parks (5 National Parks), and
California hasn't re-opened one?

[The Other Tom]

Maybe it's a money issue ? I don't know how much it costs to operate a park. Maybe CA can't afford it.

[maverick]

I don't know how much it costs to operate a park.

Heard on the radio it cost $90,000 a day to keep the Grand Canyon open, but
the National Parks Conservation Association estimates that nearly $1.3 million
per day is spent at Grand Canyon National Park during October, so it is well
worth it for the state, Yosemite has to be less to run.

[maverick]

NPCA wrote:

During the last government shutdown, Mariposa County, California, lost $10,000 per
day in tax revenue because Yosemite was closed and 25 percent of adults in the
county were temporarily out of work. Visitation has increased steadily since 1996,
meaning the impact on local tax receipts alone could be much higher. The average
visitor spending per day in October over the last two years was more than $30 million.

If the cost per day to keep Yosemite open would be as much as the Grand Canyon, it
would still make much more sense for the state to re-open national parks, at least
Yosemite, not only because of the park but for the surrounding communities too.
Add in the visitors/income lost by the Rim Fire in August/September the impact
will have a devastating impact on these communities which is already dealing with
hard economic times.

[longri]

A few numbers pulled off the internet:

In 2011 the YNP operating budget was $29 million.
In 2009 the salaries and benefits for the 900+ employees was $47 million.
The approximately 4 million visitors each year spend $350 million in and around the park.

It's likely that the bulk of this is in the May-Sept months. Perhaps, unlike the GCNP, it is late enough in the season so that opening Yosemite isn't worth the cost to the California taxpayers. Do you suppose Mono and Mariposa and Tuolumne counties would be interested in footing the bill?

Just wondering. I hope the shutdown ends soon.

[maverick]

http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/10/08/354 ... iposa.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;