Government shutdown: a look at what's open and closed
Kurtis Alexander Dec. 26, 2018 Updated: Dec. 26, 2018 4:23 p.m.
1of3A National Parks employee explains why the Aquatic Park Pier is closed as the result of a partial government shutdown.Photo: Jessica Christian / The Chronicle
2of3The Maritime Museum at the San Francisco Maritime National Park is closed as the partial shutdown of the U.S. government continues.Photo: Jessica Christian / The Chronicle
3of3The trail to Chimney Rock at Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County is shown as the government shutdown goes on. The Point Reyes National Seashore, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Yosemite National Park and other parks are making site-by-site decisions about what to close.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle
The full impact of the U.S. government shutdown was expected to materialize this week as federal workers returned to their jobs after Christmas — or didn't.
Even before the partial shutdown began Friday, most employees had not been scheduled to work the four days that followed, through Christmas. But on Wednesday, most public services would have resumed on schedule had Congress and the president not stumbled over funding for a border wall.
Instead, many services were inching along, and the impact is likely to worsen with time.
About 400,000 employees nationwide were estimated to be furloughed across nine federal agencies that haven't had their budgets approved. Another 420,000 employees deemed essential have to work without pay. The staffing losses were resulting in slower or shuttered services at many government offices.
National parks: The Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Point Reyes National Seashore, Yosemite National Park and other parks are making site-by-site decisions about what to close. While many parks remain open, most visitor services are down. Restrooms are locked, trash cans are not being emptied and campground reservation check-ins are unavailable. In snowbound parks, roads are not plowed.
Muir Woods National Monument and Alcatraz Island remain open, albeit without many services. The Alcatraz Behind the Scenes Tours and night tours are canceled. Fort Point National Historic Site, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Point Bonita Lighthouse are closed.
The Presidio Trust, which is not funded by taxpayers, is taking over some of the functions at the Presidio in San Francisco that are usually performed by the National Park Service. Baker Beach and the visitors center remains open.
Home/business loans: The Federal Housing Administration may be delayed in processing home loan applications, while the Small Business Administration may be slow to approve commercial loans.
Food/farm services: Inspections of food-processing plants continue, but they could become backed up because of reduced staffing. Local offices of the U.S. Farm Service Agency that provide information to growers may close.
Taxes: Customer service at the Internal Revenue Service could be curtailed.
Passports: The processing of visas and passports could be delayed. The State Department, which has limited staffing, may be slow in updating foreign travel advisories.
Food assistance: Aid programs are not affected for now, though some could be reduced in a prolonged shutdown. The programs include the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, food stamps and school lunches.
Benefits: Social Security and Medicare operations continue.
Disaster/emergency assistance: Cleanup of the deadly Camp Fire in Butte County, which is supported by the Environmental Protection Agency, continues. Firefighters with the U.S. Forest Service remain on the job.
Federal courts: Northern California court offices remain open.
Military: The military services continue operations.
Mail: Post offices remain open, and mail is being delivered.
Airports: Security checkpoints remain staffed, and air traffic controllers will stay on the job.
Washington: Members of Congress continue to be paid. So does President Trump, though he has donated his salary to various government agencies since taking office.
Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
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Kurtis Alexander is a general assignment reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle, frequently writing about water, wildfire, climate and the American West. His recent work has focused on the impacts of drought, the widening rural-urban divide and state and federal environmental policy.
Before joining the Chronicle, Alexander worked as a freelance writer and as a staff reporter for several media organizations, including The Fresno Bee and Bay Area News Group, writing about government, politics and the environment.
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