National Parks

220629

Well-known member
Any idea if any of the above affects current lifetime pass holders for seniors and veterans?
My thoughts went to the same thing. As this thread has discussed, the senior pass cost has recently been increased significantly. Will that be enough to keep the benefits as they have been? :idunno: I suspect that the old rules may change.

I have no information.

vic
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
The senior pass will not be affected.
Weeeelll.... in some ways, it's now worth more (avoids a $70/week fee instead of last years $25).
(thus at $80/pass, it pays for itself in two entry-fees, versus the old less-than-half-an-entry fee)

Likewise, if the camping fees go up, too, it will save on those ... (but you'll have to pay half of whatever the increase turns out to be).

There was mention in the "fees may increase" news of a per-person charge (for walk-ins and bike-ins), so i wouldn't be too surprised if the senior pass eventually went to "individual" versus car-full.

--dick
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
The senior pass just went from $10 to $80. It is still a lifetime pass.
Correct... and i see (by reading the back) that it's already limited to covering only 3 other people (age 16 and over) at per-person fee areas.
Camping is specifically not covered, but the card (their caps) "MAY entitle holder to 50% discount on certain fees."

--dick
 

Gpaw68

2015 144 4cyl high roof
Yes most of the places I camped at were at 50% off. Stayed at one place that was $3.50/night. It was a forest service site I believe.
 

CJPJ

2008 3500 170 EXTD 3.0 V6 OM642.993 4.182
A fix for our deteriorating National Park System

“America’s National Park System is the envy of the world,” Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke writes this week. “Our parks tell the story of our nation, ranging from the origins of the American conservation ethic, to our sacred battlefields, to the Civil Rights Movement. Quite frankly, our American park system represents our American values.”

Our parks drew 330 million visitors last year, and we now risk loving them to death, Secretary Zinke explains. “The backlog of critical maintenance and repairs in the National Park Service stands at $11.6 billion.” Until recently, addressing that backlog seemed out of reach.

President Trump supports a bipartisan bill, now before the Senate, that would preserve the splendor and beauty of our National Parks. The President’s 2019 budget request to Congress proposed the largest investment in public lands infrastructure in American history. In that spirit, President Trump’s leadership is bringing both parties together to protect our National heritage.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles...ource=ods&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1600d


A BILL
: to establish, fund, and provide for the use of amounts in a National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund to address the maintenance backlog of the National Park Service
 
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autostaretx

Erratic Member
Fascinating, isn't it?

Here's the text of the bill before the Senate: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/3172/text

A few notes:
(a) it doesn't actually appropriate any "hard" money, it only "establishes a fund".
(b) the money expected to "fill" the fund is 50% of future (what's called) "new money" from energy revenues: oil, coal, alternative and renewables on federal land, which isn't already designated to go elsewhere.
(c) the fund is capped at 1.3 billion a year.

So the Park service doesn't know how much they'll get in any given year (at the moment, there'd be zilch in the fund). That may fuzz long-term planning.

As a hint about the magnitude of (b), the total current federal income from oil and gas is about $11 billion per year. Coal provides about 880 million. Roughly half of that is distributed to the States holding the land. The income fluctuates with price of the commodity (the $11 billion was 2014).

So "new income" would have to hit 40% above those numbers to approach the Park fund's cap. (since the Park's only getting half of it, and half goes to the states).

..at least by my back-of-envelope calculations.

So, yes it's good that another funding source is being contemplated (it hasn't passed yet), and the Park service will get *something* out of it

--dick :popcorn:
(gee, the Monuments could use some, too...)
refs: the Dept of Interior's report on revenues, including energy : https://revenuedata.doi.gov/how-it-works/revenues/
the CBO's suggestion on how to increase revenues, which lists recent revenues: https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/f...eports/51421-oil_and_gas_options-OneCol-3.pdf
 
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Thanasis

Active member
Fascinating indeed if one bothers to dig in and pay attention to the facts, as opposed to believe what they want to believe.
 

CJPJ

2008 3500 170 EXTD 3.0 V6 OM642.993 4.182
Trump signs bill creating 30,000-acre Oregon wilderness in public lands.
With one stroke of the pen, President Trump brought success to a decades-long effort to protect 30,000 acres of old-growth rainforest in Oregon’s coastal mountains.

Trump signed into law a package of 120 public lands bills Tuesday morning that includes creation of a new wilderness area and protection of 250 miles of waterways under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in Oregon.




https://www.statesmanjournal.com/st...egon-wilderness-public-lands-deal/3136003002/
 
I have a Citation 24SA. I am planning to take it west next year to visit some of the national parks. It is small enough that I can get it just about anywhere a large pickup truck can go. I am told by some RVers that I should get a tow car. Do I really need one to get around in some of the national parks? Will I not be able to get around? Will I miss out on anything?

If anyone has traveled to some of these parks in a small RV I would appreciate your input.

Thanks,
Domenick
I have been to Yellowstone and there are some roads labeled no RV. I remember one that was one way and narrow with outjutting cliffs that made a standard high roof sprinter just about the max.

I also had a Citation at one point and it was at the max for many places. For example, when I went to Big Bend the limit for the basin was 25' RVs.

So, it will depend on how the restrictions are worded and whether the limit is for height, width or just RV. If you know which parks you can look on the web site or call for specifics.
 

CJPJ

2008 3500 170 EXTD 3.0 V6 OM642.993 4.182
The White House • August 4, 2020
‘From Yellowstone to Yosemite, National Parks to Get Long-Awaited Overhaul’

President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act this morning—a historic, bipartisan law that marks the largest-ever investment into America’s national parks and public lands. It will also create more than 100,000 infrastructure-related jobs.

? President Trump: We are preserving America’s natural heritage

Americans who have visited our national parks during the Coronavirus pandemic have found them in need of investment. Estimates place the national deferred maintenance backlog across all public lands at approximately $20 billion.

The President’s action today will bring this much-needed maintenance to our public lands, many of which play an important role in our economy. Last year, over 327 million people visited America’s majestic national parks. All told, America’s outdoor recreation economy accounted for more than 2 percent of our GDP—and 5.2 million jobs—in 2017.

The Great American Outdoors Act won the support of more than 850 conservation groups, along with 43 sportsmen and sportswomen groups. It is the single greatest American conservation achievement since the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt.

? The Wall Street Journal: National Parks Get Long-Awaited Overhaul

To preserve our parks, the law will provide $900 million each year in permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and will allocate $9.5 billion over 5 years to restore facilities and infrastructure in our national parks and public lands.

“Last night, I added it up: 5 presidents, 9 secretaries of the interior, and 10 secretaries of agriculture have worked on legislation to accomplish fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund, or enhancing our nation’s parks by addressing in the backlog,” Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said at the White House today.

“Only one president has gotten that done.”


? WATCH: “Conserving the grandeur and splendor of God’s creation.”

LEARN MORE: Restoring the majesty of America’s public lands
 

OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT

The White House • August 4, 2020


‘From Yellowstone to Yosemite, National Parks to Get Long-Awaited Overhaul’

President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act this morning—a historic, bipartisan law that marks the largest-ever investment into America’s national parks and public lands. It will also create more than 100,000 infrastructure-related jobs.

? President Trump: We are preserving America’s natural heritage

Americans who have visited our national parks during the Coronavirus pandemic have found them in need of investment. Estimates place the national deferred maintenance backlog across all public lands at approximately $20 billion.

The President’s action today will bring this much-needed maintenance to our public lands, many of which play an important role in our economy. Last year, over 327 million people visited America’s majestic national parks. All told, America’s outdoor recreation economy accounted for more than 2 percent of our GDP—and 5.2 million jobs—in 2017.

The Great American Outdoors Act won the support of more than 850 conservation groups, along with 43 sportsmen and sportswomen groups. It is the single greatest American conservation achievement since the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt.

?The Wall Street Journal: National Parks Get Long-Awaited Overhaul

To preserve our parks, the law will provide $900 million each year in permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and will allocate $9.5 billion over 5 years to restore facilities and infrastructure in our national parks and public lands.

“Last night, I added it up: 5 presidents, 9 secretaries of the interior, and 10 secretaries of agriculture have worked on legislation to accomplish fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund, or enhancing our nation’s parks by addressing in the backlog,” Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said at the White House today.

“Only one president has gotten that done.”


? WATCH: “Conserving the grandeur and splendor of God’s creation.”

LEARN MORE: Restoring the majesty of America’s public lands

 

glasseye

Well-known member

The White House • August 4, 2020


‘From Yellowstone to Yosemite, National Parks to Get Long-Awaited Overhaul’

President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act this morning—a historic, bipartisan law that marks the largest-ever investment into America’s national parks and public lands. It will also create more than 100,000 infrastructure-related jobs.

? President Trump: We are preserving America’s natural heritage

Americans who have visited our national parks during the Coronavirus pandemic have found them in need of investment. Estimates place the national deferred maintenance backlog across all public lands at approximately $20 billion.

The President’s action today will bring this much-needed maintenance to our public lands, many of which play an important role in our economy. Last year, over 327 million people visited America’s majestic national parks. All told, America’s outdoor recreation economy accounted for more than 2 percent of our GDP—and 5.2 million jobs—in 2017.

The Great American Outdoors Act won the support of more than 850 conservation groups, along with 43 sportsmen and sportswomen groups. It is the single greatest American conservation achievement since the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt.

?The Wall Street Journal: National Parks Get Long-Awaited Overhaul

To preserve our parks, the law will provide $900 million each year in permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and will allocate $9.5 billion over 5 years to restore facilities and infrastructure in our national parks and public lands.

“Last night, I added it up: 5 presidents, 9 secretaries of the interior, and 10 secretaries of agriculture have worked on legislation to accomplish fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund, or enhancing our nation’s parks by addressing in the backlog,” Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said at the White House today.

“Only one president has gotten that done.”


? WATCH: “Conserving the grandeur and splendor of God’s creation.”

LEARN MORE: Restoring the majesty of America’s public lands

If actually implemented, this is great news for those of us who enjoy "America's Best Idea".

Unfortunately, it's tainted by partisan behaviour by the Republicans, who seek to claim all the credit for what was initially a Democrat bill.

"The act, which allocates $900 million a year to the Land and Water Conservation Fund and provides up to $9.5 billion over five years to begin clearing up a maintenance backlog at national parks, was approved on a 310-to-107 vote in the House. It was introduced last year by Representative John Lewis, the Georgia Democrat and civil rights leader who passed away last month.

But no Democrats were invited to the signing ceremony,
which was attended by six Republican senators and three Republican congressmen, in addition to senior administration officials. Mr. Trump did not mention Mr. Lewis or any of his Democratic colleagues in his remarks."
 

OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
Gee asseye
Take your partisan and the NYTimes newspaper prejudice out of this about that Adventure section of the forum.
Post a Trump cured cancer thread in the DZ section of the forum!
Gee....

YOU continually post political themed articles in the adventure forum, and inaccurate ones to say the least, and expect nobody to respond?

33923502_755238958154270_1180243724311986176_n.jpg
 
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Mein Sprinter

Known member
Senior Pass is the way to go. Been the same since 10 yrs ago. ALL Federal, BLM, Forest...etc have honored our Senior pass. Just came back from a loop tour of AZ, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colo, NM... AZ. Used the Senior pass through all of them for camping. Honored fully except State Parks or their Campgrounds. Every fee was half-ed at Federal campgrounds. National parks drive thru were free,.

Cheers...
 

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