(October 11, 2001) Yesterday evening the Interior Appropriations Conference Committee agreed to a compromise that will extend the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program by an additional two years. The "test" program, originally set to terminate in 1999 had been extended twice prior to last night's congressional action. The program was to have expired on Sept. 30, 2002. Yesterday's decision by Congress was a major, though not unexpected, set-back to the large and growing anti-fee-demo movement --- a movement consisting of 230 organizations and millions of Americans in all 50 states (see http://www.freeourforests.org/opposition.html) Most interesting is the fact that since the September 11th terrorist attacks on New York and Washington DC, the Secretary of Interior, Gale Norton, and both leaders of the House Resources Committee has taken actions to create opportunities for Americans to "reconnect" with their public lands in these tense times. Ms. Norton pronounced that Veteran's Day 2001 will be a FEE-FREE weekend at all of America's National Parks. Similarly, Rep. Hansen (R-UT) and Rep Rahall (D-VA) introduced legislation to issue FEE-FREE "Hope Passes" to the families of victims of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks. Congress does appear to, at some level, understand that the charging of recreation user fees has created an impediment to the enjoyment of America's public lands. Congress, unfortunately, does not seem to understand that all Americans would derive benefit from being able to visit their National Parks and Forests and to reconnect with nature and to regain their rootedness in the soil of our nation. With Congress appropriating scores of billions of dollars in support of the War Effort, to shore up the airlines and to "jump start" the economy, Congress should eliminate access fees to ALL PUBLIC LANDS as the right thing to do at this time! Such a gesture would have two major and immediate benefits. Eliminating entrance and user fees would allow many more Americans to reconnect with their nation's public lands. Eliminating entrance and user fees would help jump start the outdoor recreation and tourism industries and would provide a large financial boost to the economy of this nation. I urge everyone to encourage Congress to ELIMINATE ALL ENTRANCE AND USER FEES for access to all of America's Public Lands immediately and to appropriate an additional $200 million dollars a year to compensate the land management agencies for the revenues that will be lost by the termination of the recreation fee demonstration program. The benefits to the American People are worth far more than the $200 million that such a gesture will cost. Scott
Scott Silver, Executive Director,
Wild Wilderness
248 NW Wilmington Avenue, Bend OR 97701
Phone (541) 385-5261 E-mail: ssilver@wildwilderness.org