Yellowstone National Park officials, responding to complaints that they would not accept emailed or online comments concerning their proposal for higher fees, have agreed to take comments online and have extended the comment deadline.
Park officials are proposing several changes to park entrance fees, which have remained the same since 2006. The park is proposing to offer a 3-day Yellowstone-only pass for $30. A 7-day pass good for both Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks would be available for $50. An annual pass to Yellowstone only will be $60.
Additionally, the park is proposing to institute a fee for overnight backcountry permits to help recover costs associated with operating the park’s backcountry program.
Under current legislation, 80 percent of the revenue from entrance fees is allowed to remain in the park and used on projects which benefit park visitors. Currently, visitors pay $25 for a 7-day pass for a single, non-commercial vehicle entry into both Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, with the current cost of an annual two-park pass at $50.
These proposed changes would result in additional annual revenue of approximately $3 million for Yellowstone, where officials say the money would be used to continue or enhance projects such as Yellowstone cutthroat trout restoration, maintenance for the park’s seven campgrounds, preservation maintenance on park roads, improved restroom facilities, reconstruction and rehabilitation of trails including Tower Falls, and a new North Entrance Station facility.
The proposed backcountry camping permit fee would be $3 per person (age 9 and older) per night with a maximum party limit of $15 per night for backpackers. Stock groups would be charged $5 per person per night with no maximum fee limit. The current $25 fee for trips reserved more than 48 hours in advance would remain the same.
Users would be able to purchase an Annual Backcountry Pass for $25 which would exempt that individual from the per-person per-night fee.
The public comment period has now been extended to midnight Mountain Standard Time on December 20. You can find details on the proposed fee increases, and a place to comment on them, at this webpage.
Comments may also be hand-delivered during normal business hours to the mailroom in the park’s Administration Building in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, or mailed to: Management Assistant Office, Attn: Entrance Fee Proposal, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY, 82190.
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Smokies - I just checked again, the link is working fine. I don't want this to sound tacky, but it honestly sounds like a problem of some kind with your computer settings. Just to be sure: 1. Follow the link in the story above; 2. Click on "open for comment" on the left side of the page 3. Choose which of the two items you want to comment on; 4. Click on the "comment now" tab.
As an alternative, this link should take you right to step 2, which I just confirmed is working. Good luck.
Try clearing the cache on your browser; you may have an earlier version of a bad link saved there.
Here's my comment that I posted online this morning: The refusal to take email comments in regard to fee increases, the earlier refusal to allow online comments in regard to fee increases goes to show me that Yellowstone Park management does not care about the public's opinion because of the difficulty rather than ease of making comments. Wanting the comments by mail was not very "green" either. All the above makes me think that Yellowstone management is incompetent and overpaid. Before I would be for any entrance fee increase I would want the following: 1. Financial evidence of need. Not just some NPS staff saying it is so, but an independent audit of the past collection of fees as well as how the fee money is used. 2. Evidence that the entrance fees would be used to improve visitor services and not to destroy visitor services such as removing trails, parking lots or campgrounds. The Park is there for public enjoyment. The Park is to be a "pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people in order to protect for all time this outstanding natural area." Yellowstone Park Act 1872 3. Substantial increases in fees for those that are not US citizens. The Park is for the enjoyment of the American people.
J.Thomas, I have tried and tried, cleaned the cache and even used I.E instead of chrome. I have hand typed the link and tried to go there from google. Nothing is letting me get to parkplanning.nps.gov
NPTers--
Completely off the subject of fees, public comment etc. The George Wright Society is a group of park scientists and resources managers from mostly Canada, Mexico and the US. They have a meeting every two years that is an orgy of reports on new scientific information, new details on natural and cultural resources, and poster presentations. They also present awards. At their next meeting, their communications award will go to our own Kurt Repanshek, the principal reporter and moderator of this forum for spreading the news about national park areas and their issues. I hope you will join me in congratulating Kurt on receiving this award.
Rick
Thanks for sharing that, Rick. Very, very well deserved, Kurt. Congrats!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone and congratulations to Kurt for his recognition by the prestigious George Wright Society.
Regarding proposed fee increases at Yellowstone, which I oppose, and the curious NPS decision to not permit submission of electronic communications, I must say that I'm most perplexed at this decision and not at all in agreement. Every effort should be made to make it convenient for the public to have input on this important issue.
Contrast what is happening at Yellowstone with what Crater Lake National Park is doing on the same topic of proposed future fee increases. Crater Lake is actively soliciting public input. They are using social media to reach out to the public. On Facebook, commenters on the Crater Lake National Park site often find an immediate written response from park staff.
At Crater Lake, the NPS is taking public input very seriously. At Crater Lake, the NPS maintains that public commentary on the proposed fee increases will indeed make a difference regarding the final decision that is eventually reached. This is an example of outstanding park management and a commitment to encourage public input on a most serious NPS decision.
Rick - thanks for making us aware of this award for Kurt!
Indeed, Rick, thanks for that information.
Congratulations, Kurt. It is VERY well deserved!
A day without NPT is like a day without breakfast. (Anyone who ever dared try to get in front of me at a breakfast buffet will know what I mean by that.)
And a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all our friends here.