Across the United States, several parks are reopening as states agree to foot the bill.
• In Arizona, tourists began returning to Grand Canyon National Park on Saturday. Arizona agreed to pay the Park Service $651,000 to keep the Grand Canyon open for seven days. The $93,000 a day is less than the $112,000 the federal government had said was needed to fund park operations each day. In addition to state money, cash provided by the town of Tusayan, just outside the South Rim entrance, and private business would also be included in the funding.
• South Dakota and several corporate donors worked out a deal with the National Park Service to reopen Mount Rushmore beginning Monday. Gov. Dennis Daugaard said it will cost $15,200 a day to pay the federal government to run the landmark in the Black Hills.
He said he wired four days’ worth of the donations on Friday.
• In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state will pay $61,600 a day to fully fund Park Service personnel and reopen the Statue of Liberty starting Sunday.
• In Utah, federal workers rushed to reopen five national parks for 10 days after the state sent $1.67 million to the U.S. government with the hope of saving its lucrative tourist season. Zion National Park Superintendent Jock Whitworth said the park was fully operational on Saturday.
• Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon’s administration was working on a proposal to reopen parks in that state, including the Gateway Arch grounds in St. Louis and the Ozark National Scenic Riverways Park in southern Missouri.
• Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee said his state can’t afford to reopen its parks, as did Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval.
• In Wyoming, Gov. Matt Mead’s office said the state would not pay to reopen two heavily visited national parks or Devils Tower National Monument.
