Nixon looking for ways to reopen federal parks in Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (KPLR)-States across the country are developing plans to reopen National Parks and Monuments shuttered due to the U.S. Government shutdown. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has asked his staff to work on a proposal that could allow the same thing to happen in Missouri.

On Thursday, the White House said it would allow parks to reopen if states are willing to pay the costs. States like Utah and Arizona have already found ways to pay to open several popular parks, including Arches National Park and Grand Canyon National Park.

In a news release Friday, Nixon specifically named the St. Louis’ Gateway Arch grounds and southern Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways Park as places he would like to see reopened, calling them “national treasures that draw millions of visitors each year and generate significant economic activity for our state.”