04/17/2018

An Advocacy Win

NPCA celebrates victory for visitors to national parks

The U.S. Department of the Interior wanted to nearly triple the admission fees for some of the country’s most popular national parks—but in the face of mass opposition, the  government appears to be backing off.

Last week, the agency announced that entry fees will go up $5 at all 117 fee-charging parks starting June 1. One reason for the relatively small increase was likely a campaign against a bigger hike spearheaded by the National Parks Conservation Association (NCPA).

The initial proposal, released last October, would have raised entry fees for cars from $25 to $70 during peak seasons at 17 of the most-visited national parks, with lower costs for hikers or those riding motorcycles. The Interior Department said the additional revenue would pay for much-needed maintenance of roads, bridges, campgrounds, and other infrastructure. But the plan faced a backlash from NCPA and other fans of the parks who warned that such a steep price increase would deter visitors and hurt local economies that rely on park-related tourism.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Associations Now.