Attorney General Brnovich Expresses Strong Opposition to Proposal that Would Dramatically Increase Entrance Fees at National Parks

Phoenix AZ (November 24, 2017) – Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced today that he is part of bipartisan coalition of 11 attorneys general expressing strong opposition to the National Park Service’s (“NPS”) proposal to dramatically increase entrance fees at 17 national parks.

Under the proposal, the per vehicle entrance fee would increase at the 17 parks during the five-month peak season from $25 or $30 to $70, including the Grand Canyon. Motorcycle, bicycle and pedestrian fees would also increase by double or more at the 17 parks. The new fees would go into effect at the Grand Canyon beginning May 1, 2018.

“Our parks belong to all Americans, who should be able to afford and enjoy them with their families for generations to come,” said Attorney General Brnovich. “We have a responsibility to fund our national parks and address the maintenance backlog, but we have to preserve our national treasurers in a way that doesn’t limit access and potentially destroy local economies.”

In the comment to the NPS, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich joined his fellow attorneys general in making three main points:

NPS’ stated justification for the fee increase is to address the serious maintenance backlog facing the national park system. However, the proposal could reduce revenue by lowering visitation rates.
NPS has failed to consider or provide any data to support the criteria it must consider pursuant to the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004, including the “aggregate effect of recreation fees on recreation users” or “the public policy or management objectives served by the recreation fee.”
NPS’ process fails to provide adequate opportunity for local outreach or public comment.

Joining Attorney General Brnovich in sending today’s comment letter were Attorneys General of California, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

The proposed peak season rate increases, which would double or even triple certain entrance fees, would take affect at Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Denali, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Olympic, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion National Parks on May 1, 2018. New season rates would go into effect at Acadia, Mount Rainier, Rocky Mountain, and Shenandoah National Parks on June 1, 2018, while Joshua Tree National Park would see its new fees in place “as soon as practicable in 2018.”

A copy of the letter can be found HERE.

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joan Shannon on November 27, 2017 11:00 am

Yes, it sounds unfortunate that fees into our National Parks are going up. However, I personally am glad to see it and hope it does cause a reduction of visitors who are tearing up our Parks and causing Los Angeles style traffic jams. One has to only look up what is happening in Yellowstone. Park Service recently announced that the “situation is now dangerous”. Visitors show no respect to the land and the wildlife. Actually walk up to the Bison and one man was attacked and thrown into the air but, still people ignore the warning signs. They harass the bears when they are seen by walking up close to get a better photograph and it is only miraculous that no one has been mauled. Last year it was scandalous when a large crowd surrounded a mother bear and her three cubs. The one idiot visitor picked up a baby bison and put it in his SUV because he assumed it had been abandoned. Too stupid to think for a moment the mother was away feeding. They baby bison had to euthanized. I have been to Yellowstone three times before it got this bad and if I were the dictator of America I would close all parks for a period of time to allow them to regenerate or at least close them to those pesky hikers who are destroying trails even here in Sedona. Yellowstone is our “Jewel in the Crown” with much of it still unexplored. Now that Congress has made it “open season” again on wolves the park will gradually return to its days before the seventies when it was practically destroyed without the wolves. Look up You Tube “The Wolves Return to Yellowstone” and discover how their importation from Canada back into the park made miraculous recoveries of all creatures who had left and returned and how the trees even grew higher so the birds returned. I mention all this because our Parks are our Jewels and we should not allow them to be so over run by disrespecting visitors who couldn’t care less because it is not their back yard and think everything lasts forever. Sedona is heading for destruction due to the policy of our City Council no matter who ever serves on it and City Staff and Chamber of Commerce whose main goal seems to be to bring every tourist they can find to Sedona. We are losing residents and being taken over by chain corporations. Residents are being expected to bear the burden of this policy because more tourists means more money to spend. Many cities around the world have recently stated “We do not want any more tourists” including a City in Texas. Barcelona said tourists have destroyed the character of their ancient City and announced they wanted no more toursits and this is what is happening in Sedona. Our City is considering spending tens of millions of dollars on controversial traffic studies that our City Manager has admitted at a Council Meeting would probably be obsolete in about seven years.

Our Red Rock Ranger District is adding even more hiking trails and the use contributes to the destruction of the environment and harm to the tiny wildlife. Tourists are stacking rocks (called Cairns) everywhere, in Oak Creek disrupting the natural flow of the Creek, on red rocks and even in the trees. Our Chamber and City have done nothing to try to persuade visitors through education on the environmental harm even to the habitats of tiny creatures. Visitors have been allowed to give their own stupid names to certain places and now they have become famous to visit and add to the destruction. Yet, our Council says in their video of “their vision” before each meeting that Sedona is world known for preserving our environment. I ask: what has been done? Bring in more tourists. We have nothing to do with out surroundings.

Seems decisions that are made are “big City” ideas not ones to try to preserve a small town character which is bragged about in their video. Is it any wonder that Bisbee was recently awarded “The Prettiest City in Arizona”.

Why does Sedona need to spend two million dollars a year through the Chamber of Commerce to advertise for even more tourists. All the resorts here including Enchantment do their own destination marketing and we are so well known it is not necessary to spend two million to bring in more visitors. Sedona residents will soon be bearing more of the cost for the sewer. Tim Ernster, former City Manager said before he left it would soon be $100 per month. Is it fair that our City wants even more visitors causing residents to pay such a high cost for the sewer. It was promised to us when we voted to incorporate that the sewer rates would always be kept low around $25 per month as the plant would be paid for by sales tax. What happened to that promise? Seems no one remembers. Our City is planning on expanding their buildings to double the size since they bought the ajacant property for nearly a million. This means many more employees and costs for a town of 10,030 residents. I ask WHY?

I ask our City officials to PLEASE stop and think more about the direction we are headed and stop us from turning into Yellowstone’s problems.

I hold nothing personal against any Council Member or City Staff employee but, simply ask they take a closer look at what is happening to Sedona and the future destruction coming if they stay the course. They are all very hard working and our Council and Planning and Zoning donate numerous hours on a volunteer basis and I certainly appreciate and respect them all. Joan Shannon, 38 year resident so I have seen the changes.

1 Comment

joan Shannon on November 27, 2017 11:00 am

Yes, it sounds unfortunate that fees into our National Parks are going up. However, I personally am glad to see it and hope it does cause a reduction of visitors who are tearing up our Parks and causing Los Angeles style traffic jams. One has to only look up what is happening in Yellowstone. Park Service recently announced that the “situation is now dangerous”. Visitors show no respect to the land and the wildlife. Actually walk up to the Bison and one man was attacked and thrown into the air but, still people ignore the warning signs. They harass the bears when they are seen by walking up close to get a better photograph and it is only miraculous that no one has been mauled. Last year it was scandalous when a large crowd surrounded a mother bear and her three cubs. The one idiot visitor picked up a baby bison and put it in his SUV because he assumed it had been abandoned. Too stupid to think for a moment the mother was away feeding. They baby bison had to euthanized. I have been to Yellowstone three times before it got this bad and if I were the dictator of America I would close all parks for a period of time to allow them to regenerate or at least close them to those pesky hikers who are destroying trails even here in Sedona. Yellowstone is our “Jewel in the Crown” with much of it still unexplored. Now that Congress has made it “open season” again on wolves the park will gradually return to its days before the seventies when it was practically destroyed without the wolves. Look up You Tube “The Wolves Return to Yellowstone” and discover how their importation from Canada back into the park made miraculous recoveries of all creatures who had left and returned and how the trees even grew higher so the birds returned. I mention all this because our Parks are our Jewels and we should not allow them to be so over run by disrespecting visitors who couldn’t care less because it is not their back yard and think everything lasts forever. Sedona is heading for destruction due to the policy of our City Council no matter who ever serves on it and City Staff and Chamber of Commerce whose main goal seems to be to bring every tourist they can find to Sedona. We are losing residents and being taken over by chain corporations. Residents are being expected to bear the burden of this policy because more tourists means more money to spend. Many cities around the world have recently stated “We do not want any more tourists” including a City in Texas. Barcelona said tourists have destroyed the character of their ancient City and announced they wanted no more toursits and this is what is happening in Sedona. Our City is considering spending tens of millions of dollars on controversial traffic studies that our City Manager has admitted at a Council Meeting would probably be obsolete in about seven years.

Our Red Rock Ranger District is adding even more hiking trails and the use contributes to the destruction of the environment and harm to the tiny wildlife. Tourists are stacking rocks (called Cairns) everywhere, in Oak Creek disrupting the natural flow of the Creek, on red rocks and even in the trees. Our Chamber and City have done nothing to try to persuade visitors through education on the environmental harm even to the habitats of tiny creatures. Visitors have been allowed to give their own stupid names to certain places and now they have become famous to visit and add to the destruction. Yet, our Council says in their video of “their vision” before each meeting that Sedona is world known for preserving our environment. I ask: what has been done? Bring in more tourists. We have nothing to do with out surroundings.

Seems decisions that are made are “big City” ideas not ones to try to preserve a small town character which is bragged about in their video. Is it any wonder that Bisbee was recently awarded “The Prettiest City in Arizona”.

Why does Sedona need to spend two million dollars a year through the Chamber of Commerce to advertise for even more tourists. All the resorts here including Enchantment do their own destination marketing and we are so well known it is not necessary to spend two million to bring in more visitors. Sedona residents will soon be bearing more of the cost for the sewer. Tim Ernster, former City Manager said before he left it would soon be $100 per month. Is it fair that our City wants even more visitors causing residents to pay such a high cost for the sewer. It was promised to us when we voted to incorporate that the sewer rates would always be kept low around $25 per month as the plant would be paid for by sales tax. What happened to that promise? Seems no one remembers. Our City is planning on expanding their buildings to double the size since they bought the ajacant property for nearly a million. This means many more employees and costs for a town of 10,030 residents. I ask WHY?

I ask our City officials to PLEASE stop and think more about the direction we are headed and stop us from turning into Yellowstone’s problems.

I hold nothing personal against any Council Member or City Staff employee but, simply ask they take a closer look at what is happening to Sedona and the future destruction coming if they stay the course. They are all very hard working and our Council and Planning and Zoning donate numerous hours on a volunteer basis and I certainly appreciate and respect them all. Joan Shannon, 38 year resident so I have seen the changes.