Zinke Backs Away from National Park Fee Increase
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Interior backed away from proposed increases to entry fee prices at 17 of the most popular national parks, reports the Washington Post. Had the proposal moved forward, visitors could have faced fees up to three times the current rate, and families visiting the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Zion and other national parks could have be charged as much as $70 just to enter the parks.
Friends of the Earth members and activists submitted 54,652 comments to the Department of Interior opposing the fee increase.
Nicole Ghio, Fossil Fuels Program Manager at Friends of the Earth, issued the following comment:
Secretary Zinke’s decision to back away from fee increases at national parks is a victory for American families. Tens of thousands of Americans spoke out against Zinke’s excessive fee increases at our most popular parks.
Over 54,000 Friends of the Earth members and activists voiced their opposition to the Trump Administration’s plans and reminded Zinke that his job is to protect our public lands, not sell them off to oil interests and restrict access to what is left to only the wealthy. While Republican leadership slashed taxes for billionaires, Zinke’s proposal to drastically hike prices at our national parks would have hurt everyone.
Americans place an extraordinarily high value on our public lands. Zinke’s actions have repeatedly proven he is out of touch with those values.
Expert contact: Nicole Ghio, (510) 900-8061, [email protected]
Communications contact: Patrick Davis, (202) 222-0744, [email protected]