Campgrounds in Yosemite National Park have been closed amid a foul tide of trash and human waste that is being blamed on the partial federal shutdown.
The restrooms and visitor centers at the park in California have been closed since Dec. 22, when the partial government shutdown began, the Los Angeles Times reported. Trash collection was also suspended at the park but it has remained open. But on Monday, feces and garbage were beginning to overwhelm Yosemite and other national parks.
“With restrooms closed, some visitors are opting to deposit their waste in natural areas adjacent to high traffic areas, which creates a health hazard for other visitors,” National Parks Service spokesman Andrew Munoz told the Los Angeles Times.
The partial federal government shutdown has left many parks without most of the rangers and others who staff campgrounds and otherwise keep parks running.
“It’s a free-for-all,” Dakota Snider, 24, who lives and works in the Yosemite Valley, told The Associated Press. “It’s so heartbreaking. There is more trash and human waste and disregard for the rules than I’ve seen in my four years living here.” – READ MORE