Full Version: S 1107 Passes In The Senate
| QUOTE |
| 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.” |
One for the good guys - thanks for the post!
Great news... Thanks for the update..
Here is my fear!
Congratulation no more fees to enter Glamis.
Unfortunaltely we can no longer afford to keep it open because lack of funds. Sorry
Congratulation no more fees to enter Glamis.
Unfortunaltely we can no longer afford to keep it open because lack of funds. Sorry
| QUOTE (flashpoint @ May 20 2004, 07:16 PM) |
| Here is my fear! Congratulation no more fees to enter Glamis. Unfortunaltely we can no longer afford to keep it open because lack of funds. Sorry |
You beat me to it
| QUOTE (flashpoint @ May 20 2004, 07:16 PM) |
| Here is my fear! Congratulation no more fees to enter Glamis. Unfortunaltely we can no longer afford to keep it open because lack of funds. Sorry |
"keep it open" is not the imediate worry. It's all the violence that can, and most likely will happen when everyone and their brother can go and camp there. Then, ultimately, closure. I didn't mind spending $90 a year to keep rangers out there to keep the peace. Oh well, at least the yearly pass won't go up in price.
The ISDRA is self sufficient. In the face of budget cuts , a lagging economy, gas prices soaring etc., we duners have proven that we will pay to play !.
The ISDRA is a place worth fighting for and the fight isnt over yet !. ( althought this is a good start ! ).
Delist the PMV and that will be about $ 1,000,000 a year of money and improvements to make the ISDRA the world class recreation area that we duners know and love !!.
The ISDRA is a place worth fighting for and the fight isnt over yet !. ( althought this is a good start ! ).
Delist the PMV and that will be about $ 1,000,000 a year of money and improvements to make the ISDRA the world class recreation area that we duners know and love !!.
Did you guys read the whole thing? Nothing has happened yet and the House bill sounds worse than we have now.
| QUOTE (KingGlamis @ May 20 2004, 10:13 PM) |
| Nothing has happened yet and the House bill sounds worse than we have now. |
Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to read the Bill you're referring to...
In what way is it worse than what we have now?
Vicki
Vicki, I haven't read it either, just going by the story Brian posted.
| QUOTE |
| 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. |
If the ISDRA is stuck with a national pass system it sounds to me like we would have even less of a chance of changing it or getting rid of it. Plus, it sounds like an appropriations nightmare. Does the ISDRA get the same cash as a park that gets used by 20 hikers a month? Lots of issues could come up under a system like that.
Not to mention a Class B Misdemeanor if my pass blows out the window.
Yes, the house bill is much more restrictive, carrys a heavy burocratic burden, sends our funds to other parts of the country and makes it nearly impossible to obtain funding from Congress, which is where the money should be comming from.
There are links to the bill in one of the other threads.
For those of you concerned that there will be no money for Glamis without Demo Fee...
First, Demo Fee WILL be revoked. It is and has always been a temporairy program. It was never intended to go as long as it already has. Several high ranking legislators have already said that postponing the sunset of Demo Fee will not be an option this time.
Something will HAVE to replace it or it will simply disappear alltogether.
Currently, there are two bills being debated as replacements. One, This bill, S1107 will allow for fees to be collected in National Parks Only.
The other bill creates a nationwide burocratic nightmare of a system that would allow virtual free-reign to the land agencies to collect pretty much whatever they want. It would use a three tier system where Off-Road vehicles are listed in the most expensive tier.
You would have to buy a "general Pass", and an "extended Pass" for camping, and a "special pass" for riding.
Eventually, if the house bill passes, our public lands will be entirely managed and maintained by "private industry", with an emphasis on "Pay to Play".
It may be that total revocation of Demo Fee will be a tough pill to swallow... but the house bill would be much, much worse.
PastorVor
There are links to the bill in one of the other threads.
For those of you concerned that there will be no money for Glamis without Demo Fee...
First, Demo Fee WILL be revoked. It is and has always been a temporairy program. It was never intended to go as long as it already has. Several high ranking legislators have already said that postponing the sunset of Demo Fee will not be an option this time.
Something will HAVE to replace it or it will simply disappear alltogether.
Currently, there are two bills being debated as replacements. One, This bill, S1107 will allow for fees to be collected in National Parks Only.
The other bill creates a nationwide burocratic nightmare of a system that would allow virtual free-reign to the land agencies to collect pretty much whatever they want. It would use a three tier system where Off-Road vehicles are listed in the most expensive tier.
You would have to buy a "general Pass", and an "extended Pass" for camping, and a "special pass" for riding.
Eventually, if the house bill passes, our public lands will be entirely managed and maintained by "private industry", with an emphasis on "Pay to Play".
It may be that total revocation of Demo Fee will be a tough pill to swallow... but the house bill would be much, much worse.
PastorVor
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