Wednesday 01 / October / 2025
The US federal government has officially entered a shutdown as Democratic and Republican lawmakers have failed to reach a funding deal.
US President Donald Trump's administration has threatened mass federal layoffs in the case of a shutdown.
The shutdown brings uncertainty not only for federal workers, but also the US economy as a whole.
National parks to put two-thirds of staff on leave, keep parks mostly open
The National Park Service plans to furlough some 9,200 people, nearly two-thirds of its employees, during the federal shutdown, according to a contingency plan released hours before the shutdown is due to start.
The plan says "park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors."
Sites could close if they are being damaged or if there is too much garbage, according to the plan.
The park service has more than 400 sites, including popular parks such as the Great Smoky Mountain, Zion, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon.
Ahead of this shutdown, the National Parks Conservation Association warned against leaving parks open again as it leaves them vulnerable to damage.
Many national parks stayed open during a 35-day shutdown in Trump's first term.
The impacts of this were "devastating," the group warned.
it lists at times "irreparable" damage, including the vandalizing of ancient petroglyphs, theft of artifacts from battlefieds and the cutting down of century-old trees.
