Congress mulls making Fee Demo permanent

Paying to play

Outdoor enthusiasts should plan to pack their wallets when they head out to public lands.

An Ohio congressman has inserted legislation into a 3,000-page omnibus bill that permanently would extend the controversial Fee Demo program, introduced by the federal government in 1996 to supplement under-funded land management agencies.

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Organizations such as the Western Slope No-Fee Coalition have formed for the sole purpose of ending fees on public lands, and similar organizations exist in Arizona and Oregon. Such organizations have objected to the manner in which the new law was introduced.

"The way this was done was just not right," said Kitty Benzar, cofounder of the No-Fee Coalition. "We should have open public discussion if we're going to charge to use public lands."

Rep. Ralph Regula, R-Ohio, introduced the legislation as a "rider," a clause in a bill that usually has little relevance to the main issue. No public lands exist in Regula's congressional district.

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Sort of like paying a toll to go through your own front door, isn't it.

A Republican putting it to the Western States.

Kind of makes them wonder about their choices.

any way you slice it. And the republicans are supposed to be against additional taxes. What is the fee if not a tax? Telling, isn't it?

where most Federal lands are located appreciate a non-(Federal)landed legislator proposing fees for use in their states.

Regula has been there for decades and has all kinds of power. He sucks money back to his district for railtrails and parks, but ultimately he has the developers in mind.

Here is a site on this issue
http://www.wildwilderness.org/