EDITORIAL: Yellowstone fee increase proposal is unreasonable; comment process unfair

Posted 11/25/14

But, with limitations set on citizens’ ability to express their views on the proposal, it appears the National Park Service has made up its mind and is merely going through the motions of seeking public opinion.

We agree that entrance fees at …

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EDITORIAL: Yellowstone fee increase proposal is unreasonable; comment process unfair

Posted

A proposal to raise entrance fees at Yellowstone National Park seems to go too far too fast.

But, with limitations set on citizens’ ability to express their views on the proposal, it appears the National Park Service has made up its mind and is merely going through the motions of seeking public opinion.

We agree that entrance fees at the park probably should be increased, as management costs at the park certainly have risen in the eight years since the last increase. And the National Park Service, like most federal agencies, is under budgetary pressure.

However, the proposal to raise the fee from $25 per week to visit both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, to $30 for three days just for Yellowstone, seems excessive.

Raising the fee is understandable. Reducing the number of days could be another solution. But doing both at the same time is unreasonable.

Another proposal also under consideration would increase the cost of an annual pass to $60 for Yellowstone only, while the current annual fee is $50 for entrance to both Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

Travelers still can get an $80 annual pass to all national parks. Because it takes an act of Congress to change the price of that pass, it will remain the same regardless of fee increases for Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

The thing we find most objectionable about the Yellowstone proposals is the fact that the public is not allowed to submit online comments on the proposal.

Comments about the those proposals can be made only during public meetings or via snail mail. Or, you can drive up to the Yellowstone National Park headquarters in Mammoth Hot Springs and hand-deliver a letter to the mailroom in the park’s administration building — like that’s really a valid option in November or early December, when most entrances into the park are closed to vehicular traffic.

Let’s face it: In today’s world, email is many people’s primary method of communicating with the world. People who commented on Yellowstone’s Facebook page (which, by the way, doesn’t count either) were justifiably frustrated.

“So only locals get to comment?” wrote Cevin Ormond, a Salt Lake City-area resident. “What bureaucratic knucklehead thought that one up?”

“Why did you even bother to post this if we have no way to comment on this?” asked Judith Ann Haphey. “I am working in Florida and can’t possibly get to one of your meetings! Boo on you!”

Truth be known, not many locals from our area made it to the public meeting in Cody, either. The meeting took place on Veterans Day, which coincided with the worst weather we’ve had so far this winter.

So, for most, the only option is mailing a letter to the headquarters. In case you’re interested, comments can be mailed to Management Assistant Office, Attn: Entrance Fee Proposal, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190.

All comments must be received by midnight MST on Friday, Dec. 5. (Though we think it’s highly unlikely that any mail carrier will be delivering letters after 5 p.m. that evening, or that the mail room would be open until midnight.)

Until this matter, Yellowstone National Park has accepted comments electronically on virtually every issue for which it has sought public input since 2006. And, interestingly, an online form is available for comments on the proposed Grand Teton fee increases.

The email prohibition for Yellowstone gives the perception that officials are trying to limit public comments for America’s oldest, and most famous, national park. That flies in the face of National Park Director Jonathan Jarvis’s instructions. In August, Jarvis directed regional park service managers to explore raising fees, and to “thoroughly engage their stakeholders and document the support and concerns expressed by the public.”

We could support a reasonable request for raising the entrance fees to the parks. But this one is not reasonable, and we feel it is being rammed down the public’s throat.

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