The budget has been cut and 200 national parks are expected to close

The budget has been cut and 200 national parks are expected to close (Alberta Times) If Congress does not take action and the government is allowed to fall into the "fiscal cliff" in January next year...

(Alberta Times)

If Congress does not take action and the government is allowed to fall into the "fiscal cliff" in January next year, comprehensive cuts in government and military expenditures will automatically begin. The National Park Service will also automatically reduce its budget by 218 million yuan, and up to 200 national parks across the country may be closed. Regarding the "fiscal cliff" issue that will arise next year, more people are paying attention to the cuts in the defense budget. In fact, the budget of the National Park Service has been cut, which shows that the "fiscal cliff" will affect the daily lives of Americans. Park supporters believe that the 8.2% budget cut will be a heavy blow to the 398 national parks in the United States. The cuts will also result in the closure of campgrounds and visitor centers and a reduction in park management staff during the peak tourist season. DeHaven, an analyst at the Cato Institute, said that funding for the National Park Service has been reduced. He suggested that policymakers allow state governments and the private sector to manage some parks. "The problem facing Congress is more serious. They do not have the ability to take into account every aspect." The $218 million budget cut by the National Park Service was proposed by the Obama administration in September this year based on the 2012 budget, and will be implemented in 2013. There are 30 state parks in the state, and according to a 2007 study by Northern Arizona University, state park visitors generate more than $266 million in economic benefits a year and support 3,347 jobs. Two state parks (Oracle and Picacho Peak) have closed this year due to financial difficulties, five have closed one or two days a week, and only 14 remain open full time. The state government has established a special group, whose members include bank representatives, public service companies and state university scholars, and representatives from the Nature Conservancy, to study the financial issues of maintaining state parks.