Feds shut down Grand Canyon and other AZ parks (land, office)

[pokuku]

Can't believe this isn't being talked about in here.

The Feds have shut down all U.S. National Parks and Monuments. Arizona has a high number of such parks, including the Grand Canyon which brings in millions in tourist dollars to the state. Gov. Brewer wants to pay the Federal Government to operate it with Arizona funds, run it with Arizona staff, or other ideas...all which have been flat-out rejected.

In the shutdown of 1995, then-Arizona Gov. Fife Symington sent the Arizona National Guard to the Grand Canyon, and eventually pressured the Feds to let Arizona pay to keep the park open.

So far, Brewer's office is disinterested in such an option.

Thoughts?

My own question is why this state has so much Federally controlled park/monument land in comparison to its anemic state park system. Shouldn't most or all of this state's land belong to and be administered by it?

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by pokuku

My own question is why this state has so much Federally controlled park/monument land in comparison to its anemic state park system. Shouldn't most or all of this state's land belong to and be administered by it?

oh, that's a debate that's been going on for many, many decades....remember the Sagebrush Rebellion 20 or 30 years ago?...let's not veer into Politics forum stuff....

[shiphead]

Originally Posted by pokuku

Can't believe this isn't being talked about in here.

The Feds have shut down all U.S. National Parks and Monuments. Arizona has a high number of such parks, including the Grand Canyon which brings in millions in tourist dollars to the state. Gov. Brewer wants to pay the Federal Government to operate it with Arizona funds, run it with Arizona staff, or other ideas...all which have been flat-out rejected.

In the shutdown of 1995, then-Arizona Gov. Fife Symington sent the Arizona National Guard to the Grand Canyon, and eventually pressured the Feds to let Arizona pay to keep the park open.

So far, Brewer's office is disinterested in such an option.

Thoughts?

My own question is why this state has so much Federally controlled park/monument land in comparison to its anemic state park system. Shouldn't most or all of this state's land belong to and be administered by it?

Brewer has made a statement they would rather spend the excess monies on other things. Brewer cares more about kids then people think and puts them first over a lot of things. People can still visit all sites in Arizona without the feds anyway.

Grand canyon can be viewed on the res side and should be always viewed on that side anyway.

All the state forests are closed most of the year anyway, so what's the difference? Again, you can visit res lands for some forest action also. The same could be said about lakes and rivers owned by the reservation for fishing. It's not as "dire" as the man on the soap box says it is.

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by shiphead

People can still visit all sites in Arizona without the feds anyway.

Grand canyon can be viewed on the res side and should be always viewed on that side anyway.

All the state forests are closed most of the year anyway, so what's the difference?

sorry, shiphead, but you don't have these things correct...."officially", all Fed land is closed for now during the shutdown....most people feel the North Rim view is the best....and the forests are usually open except during high fire danger weeks.....

[rational1]

> Shouldn't most or all of this state's land belong to and be administered by it?

Despite the present annoyances and loss of revenue, no.

I think AZ is much more likely to try to relax restrictions on use that preserve Federal land from overuse and degradation.

I know there are some who want relaxed rules on federal land. I am not one of them.