(May 7, 2002)
Here is the wording of HJR02-1051 as passed by Colorado Legislature
this morning. House by unanimous voice vote; Senate by 31-3. You can
find it at www.state.co.us/gov_dir/stateleg.html - click on House
Resolutions:
Second Regular Session
Sixty-third General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO REVISED
LLS NO. R02-1050.01 Kristen Forrestal HJR02-1051
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Alexander
SENATE SPONSORSHIP Isgar
House Committees Senate Committees
Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 02-1051
Concerning opposition to the federal Recreational Fee Demonstration
Program.
WHEREAS, In 1996 Congress authorized the Recreational Fee
Demonstration Program, which allows the United States Forest Service
and Bureau of Land Management to charge visitors daily and yearly fees
for recreation on publicly owned land under their management; and
WHEREAS, The Recreational Fee Demonstration Program has been
implemented on selected public lands in Colorado and one might
reasonably expect that the program will be extended to include many
more public lands throughout the state; and
WHEREAS, Recreational fees constitute double taxation and bear no
relationship to the actual costs of recreation such as hiking,
picnicking, observing wildlife, or scenic driving on state and county
roads and public rights of way; and
WHEREAS, The concept of paying Recreational Fee Demonstration Program
fees to use public lands is contrary to the idea that public lands
belong to the American people and are places where everyone is granted
access and is welcome, a concept that has been and should remain in
place; and
WHEREAS, The original intent of the Recreational Fee Demonstration
Program was to improve the public lands, public facilities, and
visitor services, but instead the program has served only to limit
access to public lands and has garnered strong and widespread public
criticism; and
WHEREAS, Public land agencies have been underfunded and Congress
should restore funding to these agencies; and
WHEREAS, While the controversy over the Recreational Fee Demonstration
Program continues, the issues that the fees were meant to resolve,
such as poorly signed trails, bridges in disrepair, and the scarcity
of picnic areas and campsites, of which many are in disrepair or
vandalized, remain inadequately addressed; and
WHEREAS, The purchase of a pass to enter public lands under the
Recreational Fee Demonstration Program demonstrates support to the
program, but the limited means of expressing opposition to the program
raises the concern that some citizens may be deterred from visiting
and enjoying public lands in Colorado and throughout the United
States; and
WHEREAS, Tourism is an important industry to Colorado and recreational
fees will have a negative impact on the state and local economies;
now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty-third
General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring
herein:
That the General Assembly recommends that the Recreational Fee
Demonstration Program be abolished and Congress restore funding to the
public land agencies within Colorado, and that no recreational fees be
imposed on federal lands within the State of Colorado under the
Recreational Fee Demonstration Program.
Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to the
Governor of Colorado, to the Bureau of Land Management, the United
States Forest Service, the President of the United States, the Speaker
of the United States House of Representatives, the majority and
minority leadership of the United States Senate, and to each member of
the Colorado Congressional Delegation.
Scott Silver, Executive Director,
Wild Wilderness
248 NW Wilmington Avenue, Bend OR 97701
Phone (541) 385-5261 E-mail: ssilver@wildwilderness.org