[pct-l] Get ready to pay...more

[Luce Cruz]

In the NW, we have the NW Forest Pass, a system where we have to pay to
access certain already public lands. Well, get ready folks. You might have
to pay just to get to where you'll have to pay...even more! What does this
have to do with the PCT? Imagine what charges might be put in place if
private concessionaires held permits for parking, trailheads, or even areas
that just have to be driven through for families, friends, or trail angels
of the PCT and its hikers.

"FEDERAL JUDGE ALLOWS PRIVATIZATION OF ALL RECREATION ON ALL NATIONAL
FORESTS

Ruling says concessionaires are exempt from the requirements and
restrictions in federal recreation fee law.

In a ruling handed down March 28, 2014, Judge Rudolph Contreras of the DC
District Court wrote that Forest Service concessionaires are not subject to
the restrictions on recreation fees that apply at agency-managed recreation
sites.

The ruling essentially means that private companies operating under permit
on National Forest land can require everyone to pay a fee for doing
anything, anywhere.

The ruling concludes a lawsuit filed by several individuals and a watchdog
organization, challenging the Forest Service policy of allowing
concessionaires to charge fees that the agency is not allowed to charge
under the limitations in the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.

When FLREA was enacted in 2004, its authors included specific requirements
and restrictions on recreation fees, in response to public concerns that
the federal agencies can not be trusted with fee authority. But they also
included a clause allowing third parties to charge for goods or services
"notwithstanding any other provision of law." The Forest Service
interpreted that to mean that concessionaires don't have to abide by the
same legal requirements as the agency must. That interpretation is what was
challenged in the lawsuit, and what the court has now upheld.

Under Judge Contreras's ruling, the Forest Service cannot charge a fee
solely for parking, but concessionaires can. Similar prohibitions on fees
for passing through federal land without using facilities and services,
visiting scenic overlooks, general access, and camping or picnicking in
undeveloped areas were all found to apply to the Forest Service but not to
private concessionaires operating under permit on National Forest land.

The Forest Service has already turned over half of all its campgrounds,
including more than 80% of the most highly-developed ones, to private
operation. Private concessionaires typically charge much higher rates for
camping than agency-managed campgrounds do. But this decision is not
limited to campgrounds. It will allow the Forest Service to stop providing
any recreation at all. They can turn it all over: picnic areas, trailheads,
scenic roads and overlooks - everything - to private companies to operate
for profit.

Federal recreation passes, like the Senior or America the Beautiful Pass,
are likely to become worthless on National Forests, because concessionaires
don't have to honor those the same way the Forest Service does.

The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act was recently extended into
next year to allow Congress time to enact new legislation to replace it. A
hearing on possible draft legislation, sponsored by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT)
will go before the House Subcommittee on Public Lands this coming Friday,
April 4th, at 9 am Eastern. Western Slope No-Fee Coalition President Kitty
Benzar is among the invited witnesses who will testify.

The Plaintiffs' attorney is Matt Kenna, 970-385-6941"

http://www.westernslopenofee.org/

Is this because there are too many people visiting public lands? No, it's a
bureaucratic mess that starts in WA DC and ends in our wallets.

-- 
Luce Cruz