Saturday, July 15, 2017

SENIOR PASS PRICE INCREASE TAKES EFFECT AUGUST 28







WESTERN SLOPE NO-FEE COALITION
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July 13, 2017   
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In This Issue
SENIOR PASS PRICE SKYROCKETING


  


THE FEE-FREE PRESS

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Dear Public Lands Supporter
Dennis shepherd

The National Park Service says the effective date for an 800% increase in the price of a lifetime Senior Pass has been set for August 28, not October 1 as previously announced. ACT NOW!

Below is the article we issued when the increase was first approved, updated with new developments. 

 

SENIOR PASS PRICE SKYROCKETING     


On Tuesday December 6, 2016, in the lame duck session of Congress, the House passed by unanimous consent a bill (HR 4680) that will eliminate the $10 lifetime Senior Pass (formerly Golden Age Pass) which has been available to citizens and permanent residents age 62 and older since 1965.

In the early hours of Saturday morning December 10, in a nearly empty Senate chamber - most members having already left for the holidays - the Senate approved the House bill by unanimous consent. It was signed by President Obama before he left office. 

The lifetime pass will track with the price of the annual America the Beautiful Pass. That price is currently $80 but can be changed at any time by the federal land management agencies, without further legislation.

For those who prefer an installment plan, a new "Senior Annual" pass will also be established at a price of $20, good for one year from the date of purchase. Four consecutive Senior Annual passes can be exchanged for a lifetime pass.

While there have been a multitude of bills introduced (and programs authorized) aimed at giving new groups free or reduced-cost access to the public lands - 4th Graders, military families, those with disabilities, veterans, volunteers - it is difficult to understand why Congress has taken this opportunity to reduce a long-standing benefit to seniors. The $20-$35 million in anticipated additional revenue (depending on whose estimate you choose) will make little dent in the Park Service's claimed maintenance backlog of $12 BILLION.

All of this was done in the guise of celebrating the centennial of the National Park Service, although why making the Parks more expensive to visit constitutes a "celebration" remains a mystery.

BENEFITS
The benefits of the Senior Pass include entrance to all National Parks and Wildlife Refuges that charge entrance fees, for the passholder and everyone accompanying them in the same vehicle. Where an NPS unit or a Refuge charges a per-person fee, the passholder can bring in three companions age 16 or older. (Those under age 16 are free anyway.) The Senior Pass also covers Standard Amenity Fees at most Forest Service, BLM, Bureau of Reclamation, and Army Corps of Engineers sites. In addition, Senior passholders are entitled to a 50% discount on campground fees for the site they occupy, including any younger friends and family members who accompany them.

These benefits are grandfathered- (and grandmothered-) in for existing passholders. So if you have attained the age of 62 and have not yet purchased your lifetime Senior Pass, you should do it IMMEDIATELY. Passes are sold at National Parks, Forest Service, BLM and Bureau of Reclamation offices, National Wildlife Refuges, and Army Corps of Engineers recreation sites. Passes can be purchased online at the USGS Store, but online purchases will incur a $10 service charge in addition to the (for now) $10 price of the pass. Your pass is good for the rest of your life unless lost or stolen. Many people buy an extra to keep in a safe place. Doing so at this time is something to consider because buying a replacement in the future could cost you much more.

ACT QUICKLY!
The price increase is going to take effect on August 28, 2017. That's well ahead of the previously announced effective date of October 1. So if you are going to attain age 62 before August 28, don't wait - it will cost you eight times more after that date!
The Western Slope No-Fee Coalition is a broad-based organization consisting of diverse interests including hiking, biking, boating, equestrian and motorized enthusiasts, community groups, local and state elected officials, conservatives and liberals, Republicans and Democrats, and just plain citizens.
Our goals are:
    • To eliminate recreation fees for general access to public lands managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
    • To eliminate backcountry fees and interpretive program fees in National Parks
    • To require more accountability within the land management agencies
    • To encourage Congress to adequately fund our public lands
Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
Kitty Benzar
Western Slope No Fee Coalition
Western Slope No Fee Coalition, P.O. Box 135, Durango, CO 81302
Sent by kitty@westernslopenofee.org in collaboration with
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