Hello National Forest Supporter!
You are on the list of concerned citizens who sent a comment letter, email, or web submission to the Forest Service regarding their proposal to change pass-acceptance policy at concessionaire-managed National Forest recreation sites. Under the proposal, holders of Senior and Disabled lifetime passes would have seen their campground discount reduced from 50% to only 10%.
The proposal would also have affected pass-acceptance policy at day-use sites, where ALL passes (annual, lifetime, and volunteer) should be accepted as payment in full according to federal law. If the proposal had been approved, only annual and volunteer passes would have been accepted at concessionaire-managed day-use sites. Senior/Disabled lifetime passholders would have gotten only a 10% discount.
I am President of the Western Slope No-Fee Coalition. I'm proud that we were the first to sound the alarm about this proposal when we saw it in the Federal Register, but you are the ones who stopped it!
From our initial email Alert, the word spread quickly far and wide among seniors, disabled campers, veterans, RVers, and many others. Special thanks to the Escapees RV Club, the Family Motor Coach Association, and other interest groups, whose members really jumped on this and took very effective action. Your outpouring of public comments kept the Forest Service from proceeding quietly in the dead of winter - and largely out of the public eye - as was most likely their plan.
The feedback the Forest Service got was overwhelmingly opposed to the policy change, and they have withdrawn it (for now). Congratulations!
We requested and obtained, under the Freedom of Information Act, all 4,101 comments submitted, including yours. We have published an analysis report entitled "Whose Forests Are They Anyway?" It includes selected quotes from among the comments - yours perhaps? The report is now posted at our website, or you can link directly to it by clicking HERE.
Although the 50% camping discount will continue for those who qualify for a Senior or Disabled pass, inconsistency still rules at concessionaire-managed day-use sites, where the Forest Service allows private companies to refuse Interagency Passes even though the Forest Service would legally have to accept them if they managed the exact same site.
Our organization is committed to continuing to press Congress for legislative reform that would eliminate fees for simple access to public lands, such as the Adventure Pass (Southern California), Northwest Forest Pass (Washington/Oregon), Red Rocks Pass (Arizona), White Mountains Parking Pass (New Hampshire), Mt Lemmon road fee (Arizona), Mt Evans road fee (Colorado), and many many more.
We also think that the same requirements, restrictions, and public participation should apply to fees and passes at concessionaire-managed federal recreation sites as at those managed by the Forest Service, NPS, and other federal agencies.
You can learn more about our mission at our website: www.WesternSlopeNoFee.org.
You would be a valued addition to our email network, and I invite you to visit our website and subscribe to our list. But unless you subscribe, this will be the only message we send you.
Thanks again for submitting your comment to the Forest Service. I wish you safe travels this summer on YOUR National Forests!
Kitty Benzar
