Post by greenjeep on Dec 13, 2004 17:54:49 GMT -5
Recreation Fees Bill - An Analysis of Impact on Recreation
From United Four Wheel Drive Associations
Carla Boucher, Attorney
December 8, 2004
A bill was passed yesterday by the House that authorizes recreation fees for public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service, and wildlife refuge units managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
This bill gives authorization for the next 10 years and replaces what we've come to know as the Fee Demo program.
The bill was passed as a rider attached to the 2005 omnibus Appropriations Act.
As you may know, I predicted several years ago that we would be faced with some sort of bill to replace the Fee Demo program. Our choice was to try to defeat such a bill or try to make sure that our concerns were addressed in any new bill. Some very, very vocal groups attempted to prevent the 2005 re-authorization of the old Fee Demo program as well as to prevent any new Recreation Fee Bills from being passed.
This summer, when the House Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held hearings on recreation fees United sent them a letter outlining the concerns we had with the current fee demo. program as well as providing them with a replacement bill covering all the issues we felt were important. I based my recreation fee program recommendations on the input I received from our members from the United 2003 recreation fee survey I conducted. I asked all our recreation partners to support us this summer with our recommendations to the Subcommittee.
While there were many voices (ineffective as we now know) that outright opposed any fee bill, United took a leadership role in ensuring that IF a fee bill was passed it would be one we could live with, with vast improvements over the current fee situation. I'm very happy that United took a proactive role in being a champion for the good aspects of this recreation fee bill were are now left with. Most importantly, the bill that passed contained new language which ensures that the public will have a voice in the establishment and management of fee areas. United's position continues to be one that opposes fees and calls for Congress to always appropriate adequate funding for recreation needs. However, in the light of the history of the past 15 years it didn't take much insight to realize that the majority of popular and important riding areas would be closed if supplemental fees were not available.
Please look for the newest edition of your United Voice to read about the particulars, both pros and cons, of our new recreation fee program. I've written a comprehensive article on the subject and provided an outline of the bill itself so you can see how things will work.
I also ask you to look at the January edition of the BlueRibbon Coalition Magazine. They too are featuring the new recreation fee bill in their publication. It was my pleasure to represent United as a leader on this issue and to continue to work cooperatively with the BlueRibbon Coalition, and other OHV organizations, on this and other important recreation issues.
As I said, United's first choice would be to never have any additional fees for use of public lands, but the reality of the political world in which we live indicated 2 years ago that fees would be a reality. We could either bury our head in the sand and pretend fees would go away or we could spend great time and effort in shaping a fee program we could live with. The fight for continued OHV access is never easy and the compromises we are forced to make difficult, but I am very pleased to say that United has zealously represented its members and their access needs on this controversial issue to achieve a bill that addresses recreation concerns.
Carla Boucher, Attorney
United Four Wheel Drive Associations
P.O. Box 15696
Chesapeake, VA 23328
(757) 546-7969
From United Four Wheel Drive Associations
Carla Boucher, Attorney
December 8, 2004
A bill was passed yesterday by the House that authorizes recreation fees for public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service, and wildlife refuge units managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
This bill gives authorization for the next 10 years and replaces what we've come to know as the Fee Demo program.
The bill was passed as a rider attached to the 2005 omnibus Appropriations Act.
As you may know, I predicted several years ago that we would be faced with some sort of bill to replace the Fee Demo program. Our choice was to try to defeat such a bill or try to make sure that our concerns were addressed in any new bill. Some very, very vocal groups attempted to prevent the 2005 re-authorization of the old Fee Demo program as well as to prevent any new Recreation Fee Bills from being passed.
This summer, when the House Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held hearings on recreation fees United sent them a letter outlining the concerns we had with the current fee demo. program as well as providing them with a replacement bill covering all the issues we felt were important. I based my recreation fee program recommendations on the input I received from our members from the United 2003 recreation fee survey I conducted. I asked all our recreation partners to support us this summer with our recommendations to the Subcommittee.
While there were many voices (ineffective as we now know) that outright opposed any fee bill, United took a leadership role in ensuring that IF a fee bill was passed it would be one we could live with, with vast improvements over the current fee situation. I'm very happy that United took a proactive role in being a champion for the good aspects of this recreation fee bill were are now left with. Most importantly, the bill that passed contained new language which ensures that the public will have a voice in the establishment and management of fee areas. United's position continues to be one that opposes fees and calls for Congress to always appropriate adequate funding for recreation needs. However, in the light of the history of the past 15 years it didn't take much insight to realize that the majority of popular and important riding areas would be closed if supplemental fees were not available.
Please look for the newest edition of your United Voice to read about the particulars, both pros and cons, of our new recreation fee program. I've written a comprehensive article on the subject and provided an outline of the bill itself so you can see how things will work.
I also ask you to look at the January edition of the BlueRibbon Coalition Magazine. They too are featuring the new recreation fee bill in their publication. It was my pleasure to represent United as a leader on this issue and to continue to work cooperatively with the BlueRibbon Coalition, and other OHV organizations, on this and other important recreation issues.
As I said, United's first choice would be to never have any additional fees for use of public lands, but the reality of the political world in which we live indicated 2 years ago that fees would be a reality. We could either bury our head in the sand and pretend fees would go away or we could spend great time and effort in shaping a fee program we could live with. The fight for continued OHV access is never easy and the compromises we are forced to make difficult, but I am very pleased to say that United has zealously represented its members and their access needs on this controversial issue to achieve a bill that addresses recreation concerns.
Carla Boucher, Attorney
United Four Wheel Drive Associations
P.O. Box 15696
Chesapeake, VA 23328
(757) 546-7969