Utah strikes deal to open parks

Utah’s five national parks will fully reopen Saturday despite the government shutdown.

Under a deal worked out Thursday night with federal officials, the parks can be open for up to 10 days, and Utah will pay the Park Service for the operating costs.

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell signed the agreement with Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R), in which Utah will pay the National Park Service (NPS) up to $1.67 million, roughly $166,572 per day, to reopen eight national sites.

{mosads}The parks reopening are Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion national parks. The Cedar Breaks and Natural Bridges national monuments and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area will also reopen.

“Utah’s national parks are the backbone of many rural economies and hard-working Utahns are paying a heavy price for this shutdown,” Herbert said in a statement. “I commend Secretary Jewell for being open to Utah’s solution, and the world should know Utah is open for business and visitors are welcome.”

Parks took center stage in the shutdown fight this week as Republicans accused federal officials of trying to make the shutdown more painful to the public, calling the actions politically motivated.

Site specific personnel will return to work as soon as Utah pays the park service. Within 24 hours of receiving the wired funds, Jewell said, the national sites are allowed to open. 

Utah expects a few of the parks to slowly reopen Friday and to be fully operational Saturday.

Jewell made clear in the terms of the agreement that the federal government is under no obligation to reimburse the state, but repayment might be possible with congressional approval.

The shutdown forced Interior to close 401 national parks and furlough more than 20,000 Park Service employees.

Governors from South Dakota, Arizona and Colorado have also asked permission to reopen their state’s national parks, according to The Associated Press.