Rocky Barker has a blog today about the upcoming status of public lands in the government shutdown.
National forests and BLM lands will remain open but national parks close. By Rocky Barker. Idaho Statesman
Update. Looks like some deal was worked out late Friday night. Government remains open
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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What happens to bison in captivity and IBMP management operations? Are bison abusers essential employees? If not, what happens to the bison? If so, why?
Great question Jim. I would guess (read: hope) caring volunteers will step up here regardless of whether their actions are welcomed, appreciated or necessary because of the “non-essential” issue. There will be news coming forth on this matter, me thinks……..
There won’t be any volunteering with a shutdown though. Volunteers can still create a liability for the government and they would be working unsupervised.
I would agree Justin, but the volunteers I’m talking about care a helluva lot more about Bison than they do liability issues. Then one must ask, what “non essential” employee is going to be standing by saying no?
Some brave soul has to be plotting right now as I write, to slip in and open the gate (as someone down the page has already suggested.
Maybe somebody will forget to lock the gate on the way out.
Great question, Jim. I was listening to NPR this morning and they ran an interview with John Koskinen, who oversaw the last govt. shutdown. Koskinen reported that many agency offices had to physically bar employees from entry–they came despite the knowledge that they would not be paid for their work because they knew their jobs are important and needed to be done–regardless of politics. I have already spoken with some friends at NPS who admit they will just work from home using their private phone, computer and email to do the government’s work.
Reality stands in stark contrast to conservatives near continuous rhetoric about “cushy” government jobs and lazy government employees.
Now over at Trailspace there is a good article on what will
happen in case of a Government Shutdown if one wonders.
it can be seen on the front page at http://www.trailspace.com for
those that wonder.
Personally I was about to go down to the Escalante
Canyons but now am wondering. I would love to go but
might just stay home because of the shutdown.
The Trailspace Article is wonderful for those that wonder.