Increasing Entrance Fees: National Park Service
CED-82-84
Published: Aug 04, 1982. Publicly Released: Aug 04, 1982.
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Highlights
GAO conducted a review to estimate National Park System entrance fees using the criteria in the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, as amended, to determine whether it was appropriate for Congress to reconsider its fee moratorium.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Congress should repeal section 402 of Public Law 96-87, which froze all NPS entrance fees at their January 1, 1979, level and prohibited collecting entrance fees at any additional units. | P.L. 100-203 increased the ceiling on the amounts that NPS can charge for entrance to park units. It also permits the charging of entrance fees at all park units except those units specifically exempted by legislation. | |
| Congress should amend section 4 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, as amended, to remove the $10 limit on the price of a Golden Eagle Passport. | P.L. 100-203 raised the limit on the amount that can be charged for a Golden Eagle Passport to $25. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director, NPS, to establish guidelines for applying the six legislative criteria for setting park entrance fees. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director, NPS, to use the guidelines established for applying the six legislative criteria to set entrance fee levels at park system units. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director, NPS, to set the price of the Golden Eagle Passport based on the levels of fees set at individual parks. |
P.L. 100-203 established the amount that NPS can charge for Golden Eagle passports at $25. Therefore, NPS cannot establish the price of Golden Eagle passports based on levels of entrance fees charged at individual parks.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director, NPS, to extend entrance fee collection hours at parks where it is cost-effective to do so. |
An agency official noted that budget constraints hampered its ability to extend collection hours. Further, restrictions on the use of volunteers to collect public funds hindered NPS ability to extend collection hours. However, NPS attempted to extend collection hours to the maximum extent possible under the law within these constraints.
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Topics
Budget receiptsFeesMaintenance costsNational parksNational recreation areasProposed legislationRecreation areasRecreationWater conservationPrice inflation