States won’t get paid back for reopening national parks

A deal to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling won’t repay the states for kicking in funds to the National Park Service to open the Statue of Liberty, Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore and other national icons during the 16-day shutdown. According to the deals between the Interior Department and the states, Congress would need to specifically authorize the repayment of any money spent that states had donated to fund the sites.  “These funds from states are donations, not loans,” an Interior official said. “It would take an act of Congress to authorize any sort of reimbursement.” One caveat: If a state donates money for more days than necessary — for example, it donated money to operate a site for 10 days and the government reopened after seven — the state would get the remaining balance back. The National Park Service set up a separate account to collect and spend as necessary the money states donated.
These included:
— New York’s donation of $369,300 to reopen the Statue of Liberty from last Saturday through Thursday
— Arizona’s $651,000 to open Grand Canyon National Park to visitors for a week from last Saturday
— South Dakota’s $152,000 to fund Mount Rushmore National Memorial for 10 days starting this past Monday
— Utah’s $1,665,720.80 for eight sites that opened for 10 days starting Oct. 11
— Colorado’s $362,700 to reopen Rocky Mountain National Park for 10 days starting Oct. 11

Hee, hee...