All public land recreationists owe a huge thank you to the Idaho Congressional delegation for forcefully coming out in opposition to the horrible anti-democratic USFS proposal to eliminate the 50 percent discount for seniors and disabled for National Forest campgrounds. Yet this is only the tip of an ugly iceberg. It is crucial to note that USFS is caving in to massive pressure from profit-driven campground contractors. They propose handing over yet more campgrounds to concessionaires while also exempting them from honoring golden eagle passes – patently illegal.
I strongly urge citizens to quickly email U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell (ttidwell@fs.fed.us) and U. S. Forest Service Director of Recreation Jim Bedwell (jbedwell@fs.fed.us), stating in the strongest terms that the entire proposal printed in the Federal Register Dec. 1 must be rejected.
The top brass of the USFS has gone bonkers with a cancerous privatization philosophy for outdoor recreation that is literally stealing your freedoms. Stress to them the imperative of serving we the people, not the concessionaires and corporate America.
Of huge importance is continuing to stress to Congress that the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) must be repealed. Out-of-control oppressive recreation fees at Trailheads, Wild Rivers, and backcountry venues must stop. The USFS cannot cry poor when they just received $650 million for capital improvement and maintenance in the Stimulus bill! The literal future of recreation on the National Forests is absolutely at stake. Please become part of the solution.
“The National Forests are creatures of Democracy, not the Forest Service.” – John Freemuth
Scott Phillips
Hailey, Idaho
Comments
5 comment(s)jon12 wrote on Apr 20, 2010 5:13 AM:
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jon.
caravans for sale "
I wrote on Mar 3, 2010 1:19 PM:
I have worked for 30 years since I left the government's clean up crew. Enough is enough. Pay you own way. I've paid enough.
And depending on your cutoff, I AM a senior citizen. SO WHAT? I'm still not going to be a freeloader. "
Trey wrote on Mar 1, 2010 7:40 PM:
Free Ride wrote on Mar 1, 2010 6:47 PM:
"They" went to war to make sure you had a easy life, with fixed interest mortgages. (Very ususual in the world)
And the folks before them did the same.
The problem is not who pays what, but Forest Service employees who on a daily basis in our area refused to get out of their air conditioned trucks to do things like adjust docks in the receding water.
Why charge more when you could get what you already paid for? "
Users Should Pay wrote on Mar 1, 2010 9:10 AM: