Congressman Ruiz visits Joshua Tree National Park amid shutdown
Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz visited Joshua Tree National Park Monday morning to assess the environmental toll due to the government shutdown.
With a large bag in hand, Congressman Ruiz inspects the ground at a camp site picking up any trash he sees.
“Newspapers, tissues, plastic wraps, aluminum, beer cans,” Ruiz said.
The visit to Joshua Tree National park comes during the government shutdown as he surveys the environmental impact after hearing reports of damage.
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“This is not bad as those early images but you see newspapers, and trash and tissue everywhere around the campsites, the same time, if people are going to camp out here, be responsible,” Ruiz said.
Campers say local volunteers have helped clean up the park and most visitors have followed the rules.
“We tend to think it’s one bad apple from the group that tends to tear it up or ruin for one person or for the whole group,” Chris Kaiser, a camper who has stayed in the park for the past month, said.
Chris Clarke with the National Park Conservation Association appreciates the community’s help but says, it’s only a band-aid. He estimates the park is losing $20,000 a day with no entrance fees and says the shutdown is hurting a park that’s needed work for some time.
“Trail rehabilitation, that’s public safety measures. that’s restoration of damaged sites, and this shut down has made a big problem way worse,” he said.
Ruiz called on president trump to reopen the government.
“Our government was to be designed by the people, maybe some of us are of the people, but this administration and this government is not for the people,” he said.
