Anxiety mounts over which state parks will close

Rangers and the public are both growing anxious about Governor Jerry Brown's intentions to close some state parks as a result of the budget deficit.

In January, Gov. Brown unveiled his proposed budget and announced that California would, for the first time in history. According to the Marin Independent Journal, it would need to close state parks as a cost-saving measure in an attempt to save $11 million this year and $22 million next year.

Though the governor hopes that not revealing which parks he intends to close will forestall legislators voting against the new budget unless parks in their district are left open, it's making it difficult for campers to plan vacations.

Not knowing whether the park where campground reservations have been made will be open may leave campers in the lurch without a reservation at another park. As camping season approaches, alternative choices may already be full.

"We're quite disturbed we haven't seen the list," said Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group. "We think if there's any chance for the nonprofit community to step up and help the state when it looks like parks are going to be closing, the more time organizations have to plan, the more likely we'll find some kind of interim solutions."

Until it's known which of California's 278 state parks are to be closed, those arrangements can't be made.

A bill has been introduced to allow the state to enter into agreements with nonprofit groups that would keep parks open. Though they could collect fees at small parks, nonprofits are not permitted to patrol large parks or carry guns.

Gil Duran, a spokesman for Brown, confirmed that state parks Director Ruth Coleman and her staff have given a list to the governor's office, but would not say how many parks were on the list, only that . . . "dozens would be safe to say." Asked when a list might be made public, he said he didn't know.