URGENT: Ask Senators to Hold Oversight Hearings on Public Lands Recreation Policy!

It's the end of summer and the US Forest Service is releasing proposals to close thousands of developed recreation sites around the nation - campgrounds, trailheads, picnic areas, boat launches, and swimming sites - to charge new or increased fees at hundreds of others, and to remove facilities, reduce capacity, and shorten seasons at hundreds more.

These changes are outlined in documents known as Recreation Facility Analysis (RFA) Proposed Programs of Work (PPOW).  Each National Forest is producing an RFA -PPOW and the bulk of them - around 140 - are due out in coming weeks.  (For the past few years, these documents were known as RSFMPs.  The name change to RFA is very recent.)

The Western Slope No-Fee Coalition (WSNFC) has carefully gone over the 18 or so RFAs that are so far available to the public, and in just these 18 forests, the agency's proposals over the next five years will:     

• close 407 campgrounds (17% of sites in these 18 forests);
• reduce capacity at 464 sites (20% of the total);
• remove amenities (toilets, tables, trash cans, fire rings) at 243 sites (10% of total);
• turn 225 sites over to concessionaires or partners (10% of total);
• implement new fees at 136 sites (6%);
• and increase fees at 170 sites (7%).

PLEASE CONTACT CONGRESS

The RFA process was not authorized by Congress; the US Forest Service calls it an internal matter.

It is up to you and me to bring the RFA-PPOWs to Congress's attention, by requesting that the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee hold oversight hearings on recreation policy, particularly on the RFAs and on the agencies' implementation of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA), the public lands recreation fee program.

Below you will find which Senators to contact, what to say and a sample letter.

CALL OR FAX THESE SENATORS ON THE ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

At a Minimum: Contact the majority and minority chairs of the committee by calling  the committee's office number at - (202) 224-4971.  Or you can fax your comments - the fax number for both chairs is(202) 224-6163 . Faxes have the most impact, phone calls are next. Emails are not effective. Regular letters take too long because of security delays.

The two chairs are:
Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and
Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM)
 
      
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Please also contact your OWN Senator from this list of other committee members.

Sen Ron Wyden (D-OR)
        phone (202) 224-5244
        fax (202) 228-2717
 
Sen Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
        phone (202) 224-3441
        fax (202) 228-0514
       
Sen Ken Salazar (D-CO)
        phone (202) 224-5852
        fax (202) 228-5036

Sen Jon Tester (D-MT)
        phone (202) 224-2644
        fax (202) 224-8594

Sen John Barrasso (R-WY)
        phone (202) 224-6441
        fax (202) 224-1724

Sen Gordon Smith (R-OR)
        phone (202) 224-3753
        fax (202) 228-3997

Sen Bernie Sanders (Independent-VT)
        phone(202)224-5141
        fax (202) 228-0776
 
WHAT TO SAY
Mention the FIRST point at least, and then one or more of the following points.  Please put them in your own words!

**  Ask that the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee hold oversight hearings this fall on the FLREA / fee legislation and on the Forest Service's Recreation Facility Analysis.

**  State that you oppose Forest Service plans to close thousands of developed recreation sites.

**  Support adequate public funding for public lands recreation sites that reaches sites on the ground (rather than going mostly to administrative overhead).

**  Mention your opposition to the Forest Service's High Impact Recreation Areas (HIRAs), where recreation fees are charged often miles away from any developed facilities.

**  Say you want trailhead access to wilderness and undeveloped backcountry to be free from fees, as the FLREA requires.

**  Oppose the BLM and Forest Service use of Special Recreation Permits for individual access to BLM lands.

SAMPLE LETTER
(for those who want to fax a letter to Senators - VERY EFFECTIVE.  Please mention these points in your OWN words.)

Dear Senator...

I request the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee to hold oversight hearings on public lands agencies' implementation of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) and on the US Forest Service's Recreation Facility Analysis.

Recreation fees are still being charged where the FLREA prohibits them - for parking at the side of the road, for access to wilderness and undeveloped backcountry, and at hundreds of sites that do not have the six amenities required by the FLREA.

I oppose the US Forest Service's proposals to close thousands of developed recreation sites around the nation that are not found by the agency to be financially self-supporting.

I support funding for public lands recreation sites that is adequate to maintain them.  Congress must make sure that this funding reaches the ground.

I oppose the BLM and Forest Service practice of charging individuals for Special Recreation Permits to access undeveloped backcountry and designated wilderness.

Thank you,
Yours sincerely,

(please print your name and address VERY CLEARLY.)

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Thanks, as ever, for your help in this truly grassroots effort.

Alasdair Coyne
Keep Sespe Wild

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