ACADIA NAT’L PARK — As of Tuesday, both the U.S. House and Senate had passed a continuing resolution to fund most federal government agencies from Oct. 1, the beginning of the 2009 fiscal year, through March 5. A continuing resolution allows government agencies to operate at the same levels as in the previous year. For the resolution to be effective, it must be signed by the president.

Three government agencies – the Department of Defense, Homeland Security and Veteran Affairs – have approved budgets for FY 2009.

In addition, Congress allocated $22.9 billion for disaster relief, up to $25 billion to help the auto industry retool itself, and $5.1 billion for heat assistance to low-income families.

Deputy superintendent Len Bobinchock said on Tuesday that while the park is still awaiting formal instructions from the National Park Service, in general Acadia’s managers will function much as they have during other continuing resolutions in past years.

Funding for the Centennial Initiative was attached to an economic stimulus bill, and that bill was defeated, said Mr. Bobinchock. As part of the 2008 federal budget, the president designated funds for the National Parks Centennial Initiative, a potential $3 billion investment in the coming 10 years. That funding included $100 million of discretionary funds for parks each year and up to $200 million a year within the Centennial Initiative, which would provide $100 million a year to match donations for signature projects and programs, said National Park Service director Mary Bomar when the centennial initiative originally was proposed.

Last year, for example, Acadia received $421,000 to fund seasonal employees, $48,000 for volunteers in the park, $171,000 for fixed operating costs and funding for two centennial challenge projects. They include $181,000 for the No Child Left Inside initiative from the federal government and matching funds of $181,000 from three partners – Friends of Acadia, Acadia Partners for Science and Learning and Eastern National – and $3,500 from the government for bioblitz data with a $3,500 match from Acadia Partners for Science and Learning.