The following report was prepared by Robert Funkhouser of Western Slope No Fee Coalition.
May 20, 2004
CONTACTS: Robert Funkhouser, 802/867-2298, rfunk9999@earthlink.net
Kitty Benzar, 970/259-4616
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
US SENATE PASSES PARKS ONLY FEE DEMO BILL S1107
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.
The bill would allow only the National Park Service to retain its
entrance and other fees within the agency instead of paying them into
general federal revenues.
On the vast, mostly undeveloped acreage managed by the other three
agencies, fees have met with passionate opposition by Americans of all
recreational interests, from OHV enthusiasts to wilderness advocates.
Today they were celebrating the Senate vote as a major milestone in
their goal of ending public land access fees.
“We are thrilled that the members of the Senate recognized that
Americans can tell the difference between the National Parks and our
other public lands. We especially thank Senators Craig Thomas (R-WY)
and Larry Craig (R-ID) for their leadership on this issue,” said
Robert Funkhouser, President of the Colorado-based Western Slope
No-Fee Coalition. “Their continued support of public ownership of
public lands has been crucial to this successful outcome in the
Senate.”
The Senate vote stands in stark contrast to Fee Demo’s uncertain
future in the House. On May 6, the House Subcommittee on National
Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands held hearings on HR 3283,
sponsored by Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH). That bill would impose a
requirement on all visitors to any federally managed land to purchase
a national pass called the America the Beautiful Pass. Being on Park
Service, Forest Service, BLM, Fish and Wildlife, or Bureau of
Reclamation land without the pass would be a Class B Misdemeanor,
punishable by up to $5,000 and/or 6 months in jail. The bill would
also eliminate the Golden Age Pass, a $10 lifetime pass currently
available to seniors that covers National Parks entrance fees.
House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (R-CA) has indicated
that he plans to move a bill this session to settle the future of Fee
Demo one way or another. Whether it will be HR 3283 or S.1107, which
now goes to the House, is unclear. The debate in the House over the
program’s future appears to be wide open.
Anti-fee activists like Funkhouser are certain that the passage of
S.1107 will tilt the balance against Fee Demo. “The Senate has stood
up loud and clear in defense of Americans’ right to access their own
land without being taxed twice” he said. “We are hopeful that the
House will do the same.”
Scott Silver, Executive Director,
Wild Wilderness
248 NW Wilmington Avenue, Bend OR 97701
Phone (541) 385-5261 E-mail: ssilver@wildwilderness.org