Bad News

[David_Parker]

We are ALL victims of the tragic events in NYC and DC. We have ALL been affected and therefore we ALL should be eligible for the "Hope Pass."

Too bad about the vote, but it appears that we are making headway. Keep calling and don't forget to NOT buy the pass!

[jon]

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

Wild Wilderness

248 NW Wilmington Ave.

Bend, OR 97701

phone: 541-385-5261

e-mail: ssilver@wildwilderness.org

Internet: http://www.wildwilderness.org

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[rodeo]

I was looking for information concerning the Fee Demo Program and found the following link on the USFS site. It might be worth a minute or two to express your views directly to "the man" himself.

http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/fee_demo/commentform.html

The wording of the program is at the following site.

http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/fee_demo/PL104-134asamended.shtml

Spray away.

--Climb on,,,

 

[This message has been edited by rodeokevin (edited 10-22-2001).]

[This message has been edited by rodeokevin (edited 10-22-2001).]