HOT
NEWS
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Recreation Access Tax (RAT) Updates (11/21/04)
(Shenanigans, dirty politics and brutally applied
abuse of raw power has, once again, trumped the Democratic
process. The Recreation Fee Demonstration Program is
no longer a "demonstration" program and, as a result,
America's public lands have become less public. The
Recreation Fee Demonstration Program (Fee-Demo)
effectively ended on November 21, 2004 when Congress
authorized the new "Recreation Access Tax" (RAT). RAT
should be thought of as Fee-Demo on steroids.)
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Full Senate Passes S. 1107 (5/21/04)
(Proponents of the Recreational Fee Demonstration
Program (Fee Demo) took a major blow on Wednesday, May 19,
when the U.S. Senate unanimously passed S.1107, which
would allow the program to expire in the Forest Service,
Bureau of Land Management, and Fish and Wildlife Service
on its scheduled expiration date of December 31, 2005.)
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Senate Fee-Demo Hearings 4/21/04
(Before these hearings, the position of subcommittee
chair Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) wasn't clear. Some of
his statements had critiqued Fee Demo, others seemed
somewhat supportive. The hearings on 4/21/04 put this
uncertainty to rest. Senator Craig's opening statements
surprised those in attendance by saying that there would
be a "hearing user fee" to testify. "For those of you
that received water and name tags, there will be an
enhanced amenity fee charged," adding that, in keeping
with the spirit of Fee Demo, at least 80 percent of the
fees would be kept in the committee for maintenance and
enhancements to the hearing room.)
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Fee-Demo Breaks RIGHT for fee opponents 2/11/04
(On 9/11/04, the Senate Energy & Resources Committee
advanced legislation from Senator Craig Thomas (The
Recreation Fee Authority Act, S1107) to permanently
authorize the collection of entrance fees for National
Parks and allow those fees to be retained and spent where
they are collected. Entrance fees have long been charged
at National Parks, but without the authority of the
fee-demonstration program, those fees could not be used
where they had been collected. The passage of S1107 will
allow recreation fees charged since 1996 by the US Forest
Service, Bureau of Land Management and US Fish and
Wildlife Service to lapse when the current Fee-Demo
authorization ends on December 31, 2005.)
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Permanent Fees Proposed 7/20/03
(On October 8th, 2003 seven East-Coast Republican
Congressmen lead by Ralph Regula (R-OH) introduced the
Bush Administration's long-awaited legislation to
permanently authorized the "Recreation Fee Demonstration
Program". This is horrible legislation that will affect
all Americans and forever change the purposes for which
public land recreation is managed.)
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Fee-Demo Update 7/20/03
(There is much transpiring in Washington concerning
Fee Demo. The Fee Demo Program is very much at a
crossroads at this time. There is much we can do to
influence the outcome of this debate and help determine
the public’s future in regards to public lands. For a
complete situation update, please read on.)
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Forest Service to Implement National Passes
(Beginning in mid-April the Forest Service will begin implementing the
key elements of the Administration’s Fee Demo permanence legislation
of 2002. Although this legislation was not even introduced in Congress
last year due to overwhelming opposition both in Congress and in the
public, the Forest Service is implementing these changes now through
administrative action.)
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Class Action Suit Filed Against Adventure Pass Program
(On September 16, 2000 anti-fee-demo activists filed a
class action suit that would effectively end the
Adventure Pass program in Southern California. Your support
of the "Fee Demo Legal Challenge Fund" is much
appreciated.)
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Idaho Senator, Larry Craig reverses position, opposes fee demo
(Long-time fee supporter Larry Craig explains why
recreation user fees program has failed. Calls upon
Congress to once again properly fund recreation on public
lands.)
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Colorado Legislature Passes Anti-Fee-Demo Resolution
(On May 7, 2002, Colorado became the fourth State to
come out in opposition to Fee-Demo. You can read their
strongly-worked resolution here.)
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"Ten Principles" for Recreation Fees
(Since April 2002, the following "Ten Principles" have
been making the rounds within the US Forest Service in
anticipation of new recreation fee demonstration
legislation to be introduced in the House by Rep. Scott
McInnis later in the year.)
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