Dear public land lovers,
The Recreation Fee Demonstration Act was passed in 1996. It established fees on federal public lands for things like developed campgrounds on national forests. In 2004, the Federal Lands Enhancement Recreation Act took its place as the law that continued to place fees on certain public lands, fortunately, though, with some fee restrictions.
Fast forward to this week. The House Natural Resources Committee just held a hearing on a draft bill to revise federal recreation fee authority. The Discussion Draft of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Modernization Act would allow fees to be charged anywhere for just about any reason! It would allow the agencies to privatize publicly owned facilities through expanded use of concessionaires, and even to sell them outright into private ownership.
Read FOC comments.
Discussion Draft Rec. Fees.pdf
This bill is the wrong direction for federal public lands and citizens. The hearing record is open for public written testimony until November 6. Be sure to specify that you want your comment included in the record of the October 28 hearing. Send them to:
Representative Tom McClintock, Chair
House Committee on Natural Resources
Subcommittee on Federal Lands
Washington, D.C. 20515
Erica.Rhoad@mail.house.gov
Representative Niki Tsongas, Ranking Member
House Committee on Natural Resources
Subcommittee on Federal Lands
Washington, D.C. 20515
Brandon.Bragato@mail.house.gov
Whether you live in Idaho or not, please send a copy to your elected leaders in the House and Senate.
Thank you for working to keep public lands in public hands! And thank you to Kitty Benzar with the Western Slope No-Fee Coalition for your great work!
Sincerely,
Brett Haverstick Education & Outreach Director