crater lake fee hike comment period 112214

Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis
Upholding rural Americans' rights to grow food,
own property, and caretake our wildlife and natural resources.

www.heraldandnews.com

Comment period for fee hike at Crater Lake now open

By LACEY JARRELL, Herald and News 11/22/14

The public can now weigh in on proposed fee increases at Crater Lake National Park.

According to a news release, a public comment period on the proposed increases will remain open through Monday, Dec. 22.

The park is considering increases in entrance fees based on new standards being implemented for national parks across the country, according to a news release. Under the proposal, single vehicle entrance fees would increase from $10 to $25 for a seven-day pass.

Fee increases

Passes for individuals would increase from $5 to $12 and motorcycle entrance fees would increase from $5 to $20. Both passes are good for seven days.

Annual passes would increase from $30 to $50.

The current park entrance fees have been in place since 1997, when a seven-day pass was increased from $5 to $10 per vehicle, the release said.

In an earlier interview with the Herald and News Crater Lake Superintendent Craig Ackerman said one alternative is to phase in the increase over a period of several years rather than all at once.

Interagency Passes, which are honored at all federally managed land units, are not affected by the proposed fee increase and will remain at $80 for the regular pass, $10 for the senior pass and free for the access and military passes.

Enhancing services

The additional revenue from the fee increase would be used to enhance visitor services, including repair and maintenance of park facilities, restoration and rehabilitation of visitor service buildings, provide additional park programs, interpretive media and transportation services, and increase resource protection.

In 2013, more than 523,027 park visitors contributed $43.7 million to the local economy and supported 661 jobs related to tourism, the release said.

Comments can be submitted at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/crlaproposedfeeincrease or they can be emailed to CRLA_Superintendent@ nps.gov.

Written comments can be mailed to Superintendent, Attention: Proposed Fee Increase, P.O. Box 7 Crater Lake, OR 97604.

ljarrell@heraldandnews.com @LMJatHandN

====================================================

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml