(NEWS RELEASE)
(TUSAYAN, Ariz.) There is going to be a protest at the gates of the Grand Canyon as businesses in Northern Arizona and the people who work there suffer because the federal government has turned down offers of financial assistance from South Rim business owners, the State of Arizona, and the adjacent town of Tusayan to partially open the Grand Canyon during the government shutdown as was done in 1995.
The protesters will gather at 1pm October 8th in the ADOT right-of-way just south of the Grand Canyon National Park South Rim entrance gates. (In front of where the old Moqui Lodge was.)
The Town of Tusayan voted to appropriate more than $200,000 and businesses in the town have pledged another $150,000 to fund a partial opening of the Grand Canyon National Park during the government shutdown. The economic loss caused by closing the Canyon has created huge losses for businesses in northern Arizona.
On October 4th, Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Interior requesting that the department reconsider its refusal to use non-federal funds to operate the Canyon as was done during a government shutdown in 1995. The letter states in part: “We fail to understand why the
Department and the NPS would dismiss the efforts of Arizonans trying to proactively address this situation.”
Governor Brewer, House Speaker Andy Tobin, and Senate President Andy Biggs also wrote President Obama asking the administration to allow the use of non-federal funds to operate the Canyon. The letter states in part: “You have the opportunity to ease that burden by allowing major economic and historic attractions, like Grand Canyon National Park, to remain operational. We hope that you will reopen our National Parks or allow us to do it ourselves.”
Sadly, Governor Brewer has thus far been unable to repeat then-Governor Symington’s success in partially opening the Canyon during a Government shutdown in 1995. That may have something to do with the fact that the Obama Administration is unwilling to negotiate with respect to the Grand Canyon or any other national parks.
In fact, a Park Ranger in Washington DC was quoted by The Washington Times as saying, “We’ve been told to make life as difficult for people as we can. It’s disgusting.”
Red Feather Properties, which has been serving tourists in northern Arizona for nearly a century, initiated the idea and pledged the first $25,000. Red Feather Properties Manager Clarinda Vail said, “We thank our senators, our Governor and our legislative leaders for their support during this crisis in Northern Arizona. We pray that their efforts will change some minds within the Obama Administration.”
Who: South Rim residents and business leaders
What: Protest at the Grand Canyon
When: Tuesday October 8 at 1pm
Where: ADOT Right of way next to the South Rim Boundary of the Grand Canyon National Park
