The partial government shutdown has been in effect for more than three weeks and there’s no indication of when it will end. The impact is being felt at our National Parks.

The frigid cold weather could not keep a group of volunteers from coming to Gateway National Park in Staten Island. It’s not their job to keep it clean, but they say someone has to do it.

“When we heard about house so I’m federal workers aren’t getting paid and our parts are getting the attention that they deserve, for me it’s just a biblical mandate to just help each other,” said Agnes McBeth.

Newly minted Congressman Max Rose led the group through Miller Field. They spent the morning stuffing food wrappers, empty bottles and other garbage in trash bags. Gateway is part of the National Parks Service which relies on federal employees for its maintenance, something that can’t happen while the government is shut down.

“Very basic core functions of an American society are not being fulfilled, keeping our parks clean, keeping our airports safe, paying our coastguard. Eventually, we’re going to see our taxes affected by this as well,” said the congressman.

President Trump made the call for a partial government shutdown, after Democrats refused to join Republicans in Congress to fund the wall construction at the U.S.-Mexico Border. Of the nearly 800,000 federal employees affected, some are furloughed and those considered essential are required to work.

That’s not the case for parks and other monuments where there’s no one around to collect the trash.
“Unfortunately what happens when regular cleanups are not done, the garbage cans over-flow. So even when people do throw out the garbage gets blown all over the place,” said Dennis McKeon. He donated the cleaning supplies.

Lack of staff and unsanitary conditions have led to park closures around the country.