Feds vow to seize California Parks if closed by State

The National Park Service is threatening to block funding and take over several of California's most prominent state parks if state legislators close them to help balance the budget. They include Angel Island and Mt. Diablo near San Francisco; Point Sur in Big Sur; and beaches at Fort Ord Dunes near Monterey, Point Mugu State Park near Malibu, and Border Fields along the Mexican border.

Tim Gibbs, sr. program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association, says relying on the federal government to bail out California parks is not a feasible solution.

"There's already an $8 billion backlog in funding for projects in national parks. It's just not realistic for lawmakers to look at the federal government to get California out of this situation."

One alternative to closing state parks, says Gibbs, would be the creation of the State Park Access Pass. The proposed bill has stalled in the legislature for now, but if approved, it would provide free entrance to state parks in exchange for a $15 surcharge on vehicle registrations.

"It seems like a no-brainer to us that keeping our parks open through the State Park Access Pass is a far superior alternative."

Faced with a $26-billion state deficit, Gov. Schwarzenegger has proposed closing 220 state parks to save an estimated $143 million. Opponents call the idea shortsighted, arguing each park visitor generates an average $57 to the local economy. The Park Service is also suggesting other alternatives, such as reducing hours of operation.