Nearly $2.5 million diverted from National Park Service to help pay for Trump's Independence Day celebration - Entrepreneur Generations

Some smaller national parks will not get badly needed maintenance because nearly $2.5 million in entrance and recreation fees is being diverted to help pay for President Trump's Independence Day celebration in Washington, D.C., according to two sources with inside knowledge.

"By tapping entrance fees to cover the presidential event, Interior is siphoning money that is typically used to enhance the visitor experience either on the Mall or at smaller parks across the country, with projects ranging from road and bridge repair to habitat restoration. The transfer amounts to nearly 5 percent of the funds that less-profitable parks used last year for upgrades, according to budget documents," Juliet Eilperin, Josh Dawsey, and Dan Lamothe report for The Washington Post.

The entire Fourth of July celebration typically costs the National Park Service about $2 million, according to a former Park Service official. It's unknown how much this year's event will cost, but it's far more elaborate than in years past and will therefore likely cost much more, the Post reports.

As of March, the National Park Service had an almost $12 billion maintenance backlog because of chronic underfunding. Many parks are also still trying to recover from the federal shutdown earlier this year, since tourists trashed understaffed parks.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/2KWEnAJ Nearly $2.5 million diverted from National Park Service to help pay for Trump's Independence Day celebration - Entrepreneur Generations

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