GAO: Trump's Interior Dept illegally used fees to keep national parks open during his Shutdown...
GAO: Interior illegally used fees to keep national parks open
Accountability office criticizes administration for shutdown actions
https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/09/05/gao-interior-illegally-used-fees-to-keep-national-parks-open/?li_source=base&li_medium=right-rail-rec_v2&li_tr=right-rail-rec_v2
By Reuters |
September 5, 2019 at 4:06 pm
By Valerie Volcovici | Reuters
WASHINGTON The Trump administration illegally used national park fees to keep parks open during the 35-day government shutdown in December and January, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office said on Thursday.
The GAO said the Interior Department violated federal appropriations law by using entrance fees paid by visitors to national parks, which are supposed to be used for their maintenance and enhancement
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The Interior Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The GAO investigation stemmed from a request from Democratic U.S. Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico and U.S. Representative Betty McCollum of Minnesota, who had raised concerns that keeping the national parks partially open was aimed at limiting the public relations fallout of the shutdown.
The Federal Land Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) requires fees collected at national parks to be used for their maintenance and improvement.
The Administrations decision to use these fees for basic day-to-day operations during President Trumps shutdown is a clear violation of the law, McCollum said in a statement.
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File photo: The Trump administration illegally used national park fees to keep parks open during the 35-day government shutdown in December and January, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office said on Thursday.