| Page 1596 | National Parks Traveler

This no doubt is an accurate statement. But here's an analogy: There's no fee at all to enter the Smithsonian Institution and its museums (although you will encounter some fees, such as for the Imax Theater at the Air and Space Museum). No doubt it's mighty expensive to operate and maintain these museums. Should entrance fees be enacted at them?

Dec 13th - 20:13pm | Sabattis

Yes, the Parks are not set up to make money - and things like basic maintenance and protection are supposed to be paid from for tax dollars.

Dec 13th - 07:19am | repanshek

I agree to a point with Sabattis' comments. For sure, paying $80 to gain access to all federal lands is a bargain in today's economy. BUT...I don't think you can compare public lands fees to those charged by the Disney Worlds out there, which are commercial operations designed to make money. The public lands I don't think ever were intended to make money.

Dec 12th - 19:46pm | Snowbird

Sabbattis, enjoyed your comments! I think one reason why most Americans bulk at paying higher park fees...is that we, John Q. Citizen, carry the weight and the back bone of this Nation in taxes, labor...and in toil of war!

Dec 12th - 18:58pm | Sabattis

In comments on another post, I pointed out that the price increase for the Golden Eagle Pass under this system only covers inflation from 1998 to 2006 - that is spending $65 on a Golden Eagle in 1998 is the same as spending $80 on that pass in $2006.

Dec 12th - 18:32pm | Alan

The more I think about this the more outraged I feel. I don't mind paying taxes; I just want them to be well spent, whether in the local school district, for the police department or on things that I value on a personal level - like the national parks and national wildlife refuges, wilderness, etc.

Dec 12th - 15:25pm | Rick Smith

Gee, Stan, those are sure good arguments that you make. It looks like you aren't too busy to post your opinions. You must be taking a vacation from fighting for my freedom.

Dec 12th - 14:03pm | Stan

Hey Snowbird...get your head out of your a$$ and talk to a family who lost loved ones on 9/11. We ARE in a global war with cretins who wish to see even liberals like you dead (probably even more so with your penchant to support an anything-goes lifestyle).

Dec 12th - 08:49am | Snowbird

Interesting points Kath!

Dec 12th - 08:32am | Snowbird

With Bush's lying illegitmate war, with all it's billons of dollars going to waste to help Cheney's favorite corporate buddies...there won't be enough money to help pay for the toilet paper needed for the National Parks...a essential that might be denied by DC to help fund Bush's phony war.

Dec 12th - 08:22am | kath

If Canada charges $77. for its national parks pass and the State of California charges $125 (per car) for a state park pass, an $80 yearly pass to the parks is not out of the reasonable range.

Dec 11th - 22:44pm | Roger

Stop whining...the parks need the money, and they're not gonna get it from DC with a vital war goin' on against global jihadists.... Besides, if they can fund a ridiculous "global warming" study in Great Smoky, just how hard up are they?

Yellowstone Biologists: Politics, Not Science, Likely Will Decide Snowmobile Issue

Dec 14th - 06:03am | repanshek

Again, can't argue with this line of thinking. Times change and bring new thinking as we learn more about our impact on the world, our interests, and our needs. I would predict, though, that with our political system, if Yellowstone were a blank palette, politicians would demand a certain amount of infrastructure, and some of that would impact wildlife.

Dec 13th - 20:18pm | Sabattis

I'll confess to not having followed this debate closely, but after visiting Yellowstone for a second time this past summer, I couldn't help but wonder if Yellowstone National Park were being set aside today, whether the Old Faithful Lodge would ever built, or whether there would even be a "Great Circle Road." Thus, in examining the impact of snowmobiles on the wildlife in Yellowstone, I wonder i

Dec 8th - 20:05pm | Mike Lommler

Totally believable, if lamentable. We've been through this sort of thing before in Yellowstone, after all. You might check out this old article by political scientist/wilderness enthusiast Craig Alln: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_p015_2/rmrs_p015_2_180_185.pdf

Mary Asked to Let Natural Processes Proceed at Gulf Islands

Dec 13th - 20:21pm | Sabattis

Its hard to see how the benefits of a road to Ft. Pickens come anywheres near the costs of building and maintaining such a road - even before considering the environmental impacts. I almost wonder if the National Park Service could provide a free ferry service for less than the amount of money that has been sunk into that road over the past decade....

A Little Civility, Please

Dec 13th - 19:57pm | Bob Krumenaker

Thanks, Kurt, for quoting me in your blog, and I appreciate your boldness in raising the entire issue for your readers. I worry that both in the national parks and in society we're losing the appreciation that what makes democracy work is the ability to express different opinions and still retain respect for those that disagree with us.

Dec 13th - 08:37am | Snowbird

Geez! Where have I been, great comments by a couple of creative writers...talk about grabbing the bull by the horns on civility. Excellent commentaries by both...Kurt & Jim!

Dec 13th - 08:10am | Jim Macdonald

Kurt, I don't think I suggested you reward people who are interfering with the space in ways that are making our own communication impossible. In fact, I think you should have no tolerance for them. I would have been remiss, though, if I didn't bring up that we need to consider other sides of this.

Dec 13th - 07:43am | repanshek

Jim, Do you reward the dog that bites? Should we applaud the schoolyard bully? The corporate leaders that fleece their employees and customers, do we build monuments to them? No.

Dec 13th - 07:16am | Jim Macdonald

Kurt, why don't you just @#$@#$@#... Just kidding... I think writing online is much like some people are when driving in a car. There is a lot of pent up rage in people and few outlets for letting it out. Sometimes, screaming in traffic or screaming on someone relatively anonymously behind the vehicle of the internet allows people to feel that they can vent very aggressively.

Dec 12th - 16:25pm | Snowbird

Kurt, you speak with constructive wisdom. Maybe all us should read and heed this blog...I'll be the first...anybody second...Stan?

Great Smokies Studying Emissions

Dec 13th - 11:10am | repanshek

Kath, I don't think it's quite as easy as you make it out. Perhaps I'm wrong, but there would seem to be a wide variety of GHG sources to be considered, ranging from passenger cars, pickup trucks, delivery trucks, buses, late-model vehicles, older ones that pollute more. Also to be factored in, I would think, are traffic patterns.

Dec 13th - 10:45am | kath

Couldn't they just take the U. N. report and similar reports that have come out from EPA in recent years and extrapolate to the park with a statistical analysis? No need to reinvent the wheel. The bigger issue as I tried to elucidate is: what does the park do?

Dec 13th - 10:32am | repanshek

Who would have imagined the leap from national parks to cow farts was so small! Kath is right concerning the UN report. You can find it at: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=20772&Cr=global&Cr1=environment

Dec 13th - 10:18am | kath

There is a new report out by the U. N. panel on Climate Change. That report finds that livestock, mainly cows, are responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions. That's more than all forms of transport, cars, trucks or snowmobiles combined.

Dec 12th - 07:54am | Snowbird

What's your problem SpecOPs, can't face reality ? Another ostrich with his head in the hole thinker! Like Bush! Just read Professor Hansens scientific work with NASA (at Amens) on global warming...pretty convincing stuff that's been highly documented and praised by world leading climatolgists as good valid research. Check his work on the NASA website.

Dec 11th - 22:36pm | Roger

UH, I THOUGHT THE PARK SERVICE WAS HURTING FOR MONEY...I GUESS THEY REALLY AREN'T HUH!! DON'T FEED US ANY MORE CRAP ABOUT THE PARKS HURTING IF THEY CAN THROW AWAY MONEY ON THIS STUPID "STUDY""!!!!!!!!

Dec 11th - 22:33pm | SpecOPs

Awwww, you GOTTA be kiddin' me.... Need to get off this global WHINING crap.... The earth has been WARMING since the last ice age!!...we most suredly have NOTHING to do with it...for pete's sake...LOL!! Now let's talk about something worth our time and uplifting!!

ATB Pass: Truth and Consequences

Dec 12th - 18:47pm | Sabattis

The key with this issue is to remember that $80 pass is not for admission to any Park, National Forest, or other federal land - it is for unlimited admission to those lands charging a fee for the entire year.

Dec 11th - 11:44am | Fred Miller

It sounds to me like the visitors are going to get ripped off. It also sounds like our National Parks are going to get ripped off. AGAIN!!

What's Mary Up To?

Dec 12th - 17:09pm | Snowbird

Another stealth NPS Director behind the scenes!?

Woman Dies in Fall From Angel's Landing

Dec 12th - 11:23am | josh

I started crying while on the chains and had to go back...slowly. Ithink I wore most of my fingernails off between the chains and the rock. I just had images of slipping and not having a chance to say goodby to my loved ones. I'll go back again but not sure if i'll get past the chains. It was a wonderful hike nonetheless.

Can You Enjoy Yellowstone Without Snow?

Dec 12th - 08:07am | Alan

Snowmobiling means burning petro. Which means emissions. Which fuel climate change. Which is likely to warm, not cool, the parks. Which means less snow, then no snow. An interesting circular feedback diagram. The Blue Ribbon Coalition's membership roster does not, apparently, include any rocket scientists.

Is Anyone Listening?

Dec 11th - 06:34am | Jim Macdonald

I know that in the propaganda wars, individual letters are said to be given more weight over form letters. This means that they are more likely to be read. Yet, I don't think that necessarily equates to more likely to influence or more likely to be the most effective use of one's organizing time.

Dec 10th - 23:10pm | jersu

Jim, I've enjoyed reading your thoughts over the last week on this blog. I've read before that standardized form letters that arrive in email are ignored by congress, but do individual notes get any more attention?

Placing An Economic Value on National Parks

Dec 10th - 13:05pm | parkaholic

The Fee Demo program was introduced in 1996 I feel certain that Bill Clinton was in office at that time. Cyclic maintenance funding for the supposed backlog is making it's way to the parks although it doesn't show up in the base budget...

Dec 9th - 21:27pm | Snowbird

That's all I ever hear from this Administration..."it just takes time"! It's been what six years, and the Bush Administratiom has done absolutely nothing that notes that progress is being made in the National Parks towards deferred maintenance...where was the accountability when Katrina hit New Orleans? Our Parks new help now...not political rhetoric!

Dec 9th - 20:18pm | parkaholic

Kurt,

Guns in the Parks: A Bad Idea

Dec 9th - 20:53pm | Snowbird

Hey Spectre, sounds like you and Mr. Povich are foaming at the mouth again. You must be blood brothers that never saw a riddled body in the City morgue that was past the age of 21. I have and it makes me angry and sad...especially at people like you who advocate that guns are good for society.

Dec 9th - 20:39pm | Snowbird

Povich, What truth? The truth that the NRA want's you to preach! Give me a break! Yeah, what? Spend some time in the emergency ward and just see what kind of society were breeding: guns & bullets! I patch them up and also bury them... you would encourage that? Cut down another Christmas tree for the kid that's not going to be around for this Christmas. I'm sure you really care!

Dec 9th - 20:10pm | Spectre

Snowbird is worth ignoring...just another ignorant liberal....

Dec 9th - 20:00pm | Rick Povich

Snowbird: "bit would nice if you would plant two trees, one that you just cut down cynically" I didn't cut it down "cynically." It was for the ol' family Christmas tree. A replacement will be planted. Snowbird: "please plant the other in memory of the young man that was shot today by accident"

Dec 9th - 18:40pm | Snowbird

Mr. Povich, it would nice if you would plant two trees, one that you just cut down cynically, and please plant the other in memory of the young man that was shot today by accident...check the national morgue registry! Question, don't you ever come up for air?

Dec 9th - 11:32am | Rick Povich

Snowbird: "how about chilling out for once and plant a few trees...maybe you will feel better." I don't think I'm the one who needs chillin'! I must confess, though, I just went out and to the woods and cut down a tree. But I promise to replace it! Snowbird: "Have a nice day!"

Dec 9th - 09:04am | Snowbird

Mr. Povich, how about chilling out for once and plant a few trees...maybe you will feel better. Okay? Have a nice day!

Dec 9th - 07:59am | Rick Povich

Snowbird: "I worked for a number of years as surgical tech, I know something about the deadly carnage that guns display in are environment...especially what it has done to are youth in the inner cities"

Dec 9th - 04:53am | Rick Smith

Kurt-- That's a new one for me. I have discussed gun control with many who believe in the right to carry weapons. I have never heard, ever, anyone claim that he/she believes that this right is God-given. We are breaking new ground here in the debate on weapons in the parks.

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