If a government shutdown occurs, Arizona and Utah have agreed to cover the expenses to keep national parks open.

If the federal government shutdown puts access to Arizona’s Grand Canyon and Utah’s Zion Valley at risk, Arizona and Utah will ensure that the iconic national parks in their states remain open.

Visitors have the ability to continue spending their money in close proximity to the parks, which is of utmost significance for state budgets.

A cutoff could come Sunday. The economic impact of the national parks is so important that Arizona’s Democratic governor and Utah’s Republican governor have decided to invest state funds in keeping Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Canyonlands national parks open.

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and Utah Governor Spencer Cox view it as a straightforward matter of economics.

According to the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association, each dollar invested in the National Park Service generates over $15 in economic activity annually.

According to the association, each day of a shutdown could result in national parks losing almost 1 million visitors in total, while gateway communities could suffer losses of up to $70 million.

Hobbs and Cox have stated that their states are willing to cover the costs of maintaining these parks at a minimum level, providing support to communities that rely on tourism.

Cox stated this week that we anticipate reimbursement, similar to how federal employees are compensated for lost wages during a shutdown, and we have conveyed this message to the Department of Interior.

Hobbs has expressed that the funds from the Arizona Lottery would contribute to the maintenance of the Grand Canyon park and prevent its closure.

During the final days of December 2018, Utah allocated approximately $7,500 per day to ensure the operation of Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Arches despite the shutdown. The organization Zion Forever Project pledged $16,000 to support a minimal staff and maintain accessible facilities such as bathrooms and the visitor center at Zion. Despite the shutdown, Zion still attracted numerous visitors on a daily basis.

According to Joelle Baird, a public affairs specialist for Grand Canyon National Park, the state funds in Arizona will not fully cover the regular expenses during a shutdown. However, they will still allow people to visit the park.

The National Park Conservation Association stated that it can be extremely harmful to keep parks open during a shutdown when there is a lack of adequate staff and resources.

During the 2018-2019 shutdown, certain locations experienced undesirable and preventable harm, such as excessive garbage and human waste, acts of vandalism, theft, and unauthorized usage of off-road vehicles, as stated by the organization.

The situation at Joshua Tree National Park was reported to be extremely poor, with excessive amounts of trash and portable toilets, as well as unattended visitors driving off designated paths and causing significant damage to numerous unique plants.

During the shutdown that lasted from late 2018 to early 2019, Arizona spent approximately $64,000 per week to maintain services such as restroom cleaning, trash removal, and snow plowing at Grand Canyon. While individuals with existing permits for backcountry hiking or rafting on the Colorado River were still allowed, no new permits were granted during this time.

National park employees who were not furloughed had to work without pay, their lost wages repaid after a budget resolution was reached. Those expected to work in another potential shutdown include members of Grand Canyon National Park’s emergency services, which has teams trained in medical services, search and rescue and firefighting.

During the previous shutdown five years ago, Joëlle Baird, the park’s public affairs specialist, mentioned that the Arizona state funding ensured that things remained mostly unaffected and continued normally.

She mentioned that hotels, restaurants, and almost everything were operating.

John Garder, the Senior Director of Budget & Appropriations at the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association, expressed that it is the federal government’s duty to fund the parks and not something that should be burdened upon the states.

Garder stated that although states may be interested in opening parks during government shutdowns due to their significant economic impact, generating over $50.3 billion and supporting over 378,400 jobs each year, it is ultimately Congress’ duty to ensure their funding and accessibility.

The organization stated that the closure might have an impact on over 400 locations across 50 states, including the District of Columbia, as well as U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa.

Governor Jay Inslee of Washington state, which is known for its Mount Rainier and Olympic national parks, does not intend to allocate additional funding or personnel to the national parks in the event of a shutdown.

Inslee’s office said much of the governor’s discretionary spending was needed this year for cleanup and recovery after wildfires in Spokane County.

The office of Montana Governor Greg Gianforte did not indicate whether funds would be allocated to maintain the operations of Glacier or Yellowstone national parks. However, his staff mentioned that the governor’s budget team is collaborating with state agencies to make necessary arrangements in case there is a shutdown, in the event that Congress fails to effectively manage and sustain the functioning of the federal government for the benefit of the American people.

The majority of Yellowstone is located in Wyoming, although three out of the five entrances can be found in Montana.

Spokesperson Michael Pearlman stated that Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon is currently waiting for additional information from the Department of Interior and the White House in order to gain a clearer understanding of the available options for the state.

Pearlman stated that the Governor has communicated with the Superintendents of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Pearlman also mentioned that Gordon, who is a Republican, acknowledges the potential negative impact on Wyoming families residing and working in the gateway communities due to the closure of the parks.

The administration of California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that they do not intend to keep national parks open in the event of a federal government shutdown. They argue that the parks fall outside the state’s jurisdiction. Due to a significant budget deficit of approximately $32 billion, Governor Newsom and state lawmakers had to make challenging financial choices this year, following several years of budget surpluses.

This report was contributed to by AP staff writers Ed Komenda in Olympia, Washington; Amy Beth Hanson in Helena, Montana; Matthew Brown in Billings, Montana; and Tran Nguyen in Sacramento.