Yellowstone Tighter Than Average Year

Sun., July 7, 1996

Associated Press

A congressional review of Yellowstone National Park’s financial records is expected to begin this week, but visitors and employees say additional funding can’t come soon enough.

Superintendent Mike Finley has suggested that the park may have to shorten its summer season next year to offset a projected $2.2 million shortfall in the budget, about $19 million for this year. Because of the tight budget, Finley closed the 116-unit Norris campground earlier this year.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin, R-Wyo., requested a review of Yellowstone’s financial records. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska and the House Resources Committee chairman, agreed to send a senior staff member to the park on Tuesday.

Assistant Superintendent Marvin Jensen said the staffer is welcome to examine the park’s books. But many visitors haven’t felt welcome at the park.

While finding campsites traditionally has been difficult, the camping crunch has become especially bothersome, visitors say.

“It’s very frustrating,” said Ed Rutenkroger of Windsor, N.C. “We’ve been coming for 12 years, and it’s never been like this.”

The U.S. House has approved an Interior Appropriations bill that would increase funding for the Park Service by $50 million. The money would boost funding for Yellowstone by 3.4 percent.

Yellowstone’s share - estimated at $800,000 to $900,000 - would barely cover the cost of required pay increases for federal employees.

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