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Over the past week, some of America's most popular national parks have reopened their gates after being closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Zion, Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone national parks have started to reopen to the public, while others, including Canyonlands and Arches, are preparing to open by the end of May. Many are concerned that the risks that caused parks to close in the first place have not been sufficiently mitigated. Gateway communities are still at risk for coronavirus outbreaks, and it is unknown whether park employees have been given enough protective equipment to keep them safe. In a letter to the heads of the National Park Service and Interior Department on Friday, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl Grijalva stated, "Evidently, the safeguards the NPS has implemented to protect employee and visitor safety at reopened sites are wholly insufficient to protect public health."
On the first day the Grand Canyon reopened, there were two dozen people crowded at overlooks on the South Rim by 7:30am. Opening days in Zion saw over 4,000 visitors, many traveling from other states. By reopening parks, often without restrictions that limit crowding, there are serious concerns about the impact on park employees, gateway communities, and visitors.
Virtual public hearings insufficient for tribal communities
On Friday, the Bureau of Land Management held the second of several virtual public hearings, this one regarding oil and gas drilling near Chaco Canyon. Many commenters protested both oil and gas development in the park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, as well as the online process. From New Mexico to Alaska, tribal groups affected by the BLM's actions often do not have enough WiFi access to participate, effectively cutting them out of the process.
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While our nation deals with the impacts from COVID-19, it has become more apparent than ever how much we rely on our open spaces and access to clean air and the wonders of the outdoors.”
