Another lawsuit has been filed in court challenging fees charged by concessionaires to access public lands. Three places are named but it would have ramifications for all national forests. In the Coconino Forest in AZ, concessionaires manage all the campgrounds. They are allowed to charge a fee. In question is the fact that in fee areas, you cannot even walk across the parking lot to access public land without paying a fee, which the plaintiffs allege violates the law. Access to the West Fork of Oak Creek is such an area. Also, passes for seniors and disabled are not honored.
With our forests strapped for cash, it will be interesting to see the results of this suit. The courts already found that forests can not charge a fee for access to an area if there are no amenities. So a trailhead without a restroom cannot require a fee or pass, for example. If the fees are set aside, many RVers will pay less to use campgrounds or to have access to certain public lands.
You can read more in the CVBugle. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak
Comments