US National Park Service contingency plan (2018)

What this document is

The document above is the National Park Service (NPS) Contingency Plan of January 2018. A contingency plan of this kind is an operating document that a US federal agency prepares in advance so it knows how to function if Congress fails to pass funding and appropriations lapse — the situation commonly described as a government shutdown.

Grounded in the NPS Organic Act, the plan states that, effective immediately upon a lapse in appropriations, the Service suspends activities and secures park facilities, except those essential to protect human life and property. Visitor services such as restrooms, waste collection and road maintenance cease, and most staff are furloughed.

What it covers

In general, a federal agency’s lapse-of-appropriations plan addresses:

• which activities are considered excepted and continue during a funding gap;
• which activities are suspended until funding is restored;
• how many staff are retained and how many are furloughed;
• how public access, safety and property protection are managed in the interim.

For the National Park Service specifically, such plans have historically balanced keeping some sites accessible against the reduced availability of visitor services, maintenance and waste collection.

Why it matters

Contingency plans matter because they determine, in practical terms, what happens to public services and public lands when the political funding process stalls. For the parks, the stakes include visitor safety, protection of natural and historic resources, and the experience of millions of people.

Documents like this are cited by journalists and analysts covering shutdowns, which is why external sites link to it. We host this neutral summary to preserve those references while pointing readers to the official agency sources for authoritative detail.

Frequently asked questions