Personal impact of government shutdown on DU.

[2naSalit]

42. Both.

It seems that whenever a chance for anarchy in the woods ensues, all who can will take advantage of it.

Obviously closures of the public lands will be more effective at chokepoints. These are more common in national parks and national wildlife refuges than national forests or BLM administered lands. National park and forest closures will have economic consequences to nearby communities. In addition to closures, the public employees will not be paid. While some proponents of a shutdown have dismissed this as “no big deal if the Washington Monument is closed,” many understand that the public lands are a substantial portion of the Western United States.

In addition to closures to the public, permits for various public land activities will not be issued during the shutdown. For example, the Bureau of Land Management will not be able to process new oil and gas permits.

Here is the complete introduction to the BLM’s shutdown rules. The rules for other agencies might be found on-line.

General: In the event that Congress is unable to enact appropriations for FY 2014 or a continuing resolution, essentially all activities of the BLM will be halted with the exception of law enforcement and emergency response functions. Without appropriated funds, there is no authority to incur obligations, including obligations for salaries, except in situations involving orderly shutdown of the bureau or to protect life and property. In the event that a shutdown
occurs, the Department will notify bureaus to begin an orderly shutdown of unfunded functions. This will require the furlough of a majority of BLM employees. Voluntary services from employees will not be accepted. (emphasis ours)

The last government shutdown took place Nov. 14-19, 1995 and Dec. 16-Jan. 6, 1996. It was President Clinton versus the Republican congress. Eventually the President won after public opinion turned on the Republicans, especially Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

It is an open question how much anarchy will prevail on the public lands. During the 1995-6 shutdown, the Western Watersheds Project has learned that in some areas cattle operators immediately turned their livestock out on public lands for an illegal helping of public forage.

http://www.thewildlifenews.com/2013/09/30/shutdown-public-lands/