>>National Parks Closed

(Springdale, UT) -- Five national Utah parks are closed thanks to the federal-government shutdown. At Zion National Park, superintendent Jack Whitworth syas....

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Trails, visitor centers and shuttles will be unavailable. Campers and those at the lodge have 48 hours to check out.

Officials estimate up to 40,000 Utahns could be furloughed from their jobs. But most government services — from Medicare to unemployment benefits, food stamps and assistance to the poor — would easily continue for about a week using reserve funds.Then some programs would begin to stop. Among the first to cease after about a week would be the Womens, Infants and Children (WIC) program that provides supplemental food and nutrition assistance to 66,000 Utah moms and children.

It would affect not only federal employees (Utah has 35,000 federal employees overall), but others such as civilian defense contractors. The state government also expects to furlough initially about 215 employees who oversee federal programs, including 192 in the Utah National Guard. The state figures 270 employees of county health departments could be furloughed. The Highest concentrations of furloughs are expected in the defense industry, military installations such as Hill Air Force Base, the Internal Revenue Service and its large Ogden service center, and national parks — which would close their gates immediately.

Other benefit payments • The Utah Department of Workforce Services says reserve funds should keep food stamps, temporary cash benefits, unemployment, child care, refugee services and other federal programs it oversees operating easily for a week or more, said spokesman Nic Dunn. He said the department is still figuring how long funding will last for each specific program.

Recreation • The National Park Service says it "will take all necessary steps to close and secure national park facilities and grounds except for those that are essential to respond to emergencies involving the protection of human life of the protection of property." The governor’s office said national parks and related industry employ 129,000 Utahns.

Officials at Arches and Canyonlands national parks say 122 of the 145 staffers for both parks would be furloughed. Not all of the remaining 23 would be employed on a full-time basis. "In the event of a shutdown — all parks and facilities will be closed and commercial activities will cease," said Paul Henderson, assistant superintendent at Arches/Canyonlands national parks. "Where we can physically control access — road, gates, etc. — we will prevent any entry into the parks. We’ll go down to a very minimum staffing level."

　

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management issued a statement that it will halt all activities "with the exception of law enforcement and emergency response functions." It will allow some commercial outfitters and guides to continue operations as long as they do not need BLM field monitoring. All campgrounds, boat ramps and other recreational sites will be closed.

The U.S. Forest Service also said it plans to close operations except those needed for law enforcement and protection of resources.

Internal Revenue Service • The agency issued a statement saying it could furlough about 90 percent of its employees, which could affect its large regional services center in Ogdeno be heard.

Mail • Deliveries would not be affected by the shutdown. The U.S. Postal Services is funded by stamps and other fees instead of taxes.


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