On September 30, the federal government is expected to shut down as lawmakers continue to wrestle over the terms of the federal budget. Most federal agencies have not announced plans for what will close during a potential shutdown, according to NPR.
In Western North Carolina, all eyes are on the local national parks and the Blue Ridge Parkway. October marks the beginning of peak tourist season across the region as thousands of people head to the mountains to see the fall colors.
The looming shutdown brings up painful memories of the last 35-day shutdown from late 2018 to early 2019.
At the time, local nonprofits struggled to provide services while some federal agencies shut their doors.
In 2018, the parks were open but unmanaged resulting in piles of trash, dirty or locked bathrooms and fallen trees.
Three weeks into the 2018 shutdown, local nonprofit Friends of the Smokies chipped in $18,000 dollars to clear the Great Smoky Mountains National Park bathroom.
“We do not encourage folks to go in there currently - just as liability,” North Carolina Director of Friends of the Smokies Anna Zanetti told BPR in 2019. “If you do go into the park we ask that you practice ‘leave no trace’ policies and clean up after yourself to leave the park the way that you found it or better.”
The National Parks Conservation Association issued a statement of concern about the impending shutdown noting the impact of the previous long-term shutdown on the parks.
“During the last shutdown when parks operated with only skeleton crews, we watched helplessly as Joshua Trees were cut down, park buildings were vandalized, prehistoric petroglyphs were damaged, trash piled up, and human waste overflowed. And visitor safety at parks across the country was put at risk. We cannot allow history to repeat itself. Congress must come to an agreement to keep the government and our parks open and protected,” Theresa Pierno, President and CEO for National Parks Conservation Association, said in a press release.
A local U.S. Forest Service spokesperson told BPR that there was no information about closures or procedures to share before the pending shutdown.
“If there is a shutdown, we will begin an orderly shutdown procedure on Monday. I advise any potential visitors to keep an eye on the National Forests in North Carolina website and our social media for updates,” U.S. Forest Service spokesperson Jenifer Bunty said in an email.
Carolyn Ward, executive director of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, told BPR the organization is waiting to hear more information on the impact of a shutdown.
BPR’s Helen Chickering contributed to this report.
