shelbyfv wrote:
These various shutdown threads have revealed a discouraging ignorance of how the NPS operates and is funded. Sad.
Agreed. My career was spent working in the NPS and USFS and I have to just shake my head at some of the suggestions and advice about what federal employees should be doing during these shutdowns.
Just to clear a few things up:
They CANNOT just go into work.
They CANNOT volunteer at their workplace.
There is no guarantee that they will get paid (although they have in the past.) And even as an employee, I thought it was stupid for us to be prevented from working and then eventually get paid. Either allow employees to work and get paid, or prohibit them from working and then don't pay them.
What I am unsure about is Recreation Enhancement Act funding. Is that unavailable during a government shutdown? It is money collected from entrance & camping fees during previous years, so theoretically it should be available even if current fiscal year funding is blocked.