ACTION ALERT
The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments about the fee program at Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area
The BLM has issued a notice that there will be a public meeting about the fee program at Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation
Area NEXT WEEK, November 3, 2011. You have only until November 2nd
- that's this coming Wednesday! -
to get your comments into the hands of the Desert Advisory Council before they decide what changes to recommend to the
fee program.
PLEASE ACT TODAY!
STOP THIS ILLEGAL ENTRANCE FEE!
BACKGROUND:
The Bureau of Land Management began charging fees at Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area under Fee Demo. That law
allowed broad authority for any kind of fee and BLM used their authority to charge an Entrance Fee at ISDRA. It was
completely legal, but the concept of Entrance Fees for large tracts of BLM and National Forest land proved to be very
unpopular with the public.
Congress heard the public outcry, and when they repealed Fee Demo in 2004 and replaced it with the Federal Lands
Recreation Enhancement Act they included many restrictions on what kind of fees could be charged. One of these
restrictions is that BLM is prohibited from charging Entrance Fees.
At the Dunes, however, nothing changed. The Entrance Fee continues as before, except now they call it a Special
Recreation Permit Fee. It was still required for all entrance to the area for any purpose.
As the man said, if it walks like an Entrance Fee and quacks like an Entrance Fee, it's an Entrance Fee. Period.
BLM requested an increase in the ISDRA Entrance Fee in January 2008. The California Recreation Resource Advisory
Committee, after a sham review, gave the increase their usual rubber-stamp approval.
But BLM was not satisfied. In May 2009, they were back asking for another increase. They did not consult with or inform
the users of the Dunes or their own Advisory Councils. They gave the public no notification or only 15 days notice to
comment at all. When frequent dunes visitors got wind of this new increase they raised hell and BLM was forced to
withdraw their proposal.
Since that wake-up call, BLM has been working with a citizen advisory council to address the problems with this fee
program. The Desert Advisory Council is a dedicated volunteer panel that really wants to hear from the public about the
fee program at Imperial Dunes. They will hold a public meeting on Thursday, November 3, 2011 and they want YOUR input.
Based on what they hear, they will be making recommendations to the BLM about changes to the Imperial Sand Dunes fees.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
If you cannot attend the meeting in person, send a short email comment protesting this illegal entrance fee. While fees
are authorized for specialized recreation use, they should be only for specialized use, not for entrance. Here is some
suggested language; please put this into your own words and add your own personal comments:
Dear Ms Goodro,
Please enter the following comment into the record for the Desert Advisory Council meeting on November 3, 2011 and
ensure that each member of the Council receives a copy of it.
I object to the fee that is currently being charged for all entry to the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. The fee
amounts to an Entrance Fee, which is prohibited by law. Any permit fee requirement should apply only to a specialized
vehicle that is actually using the area, not to the truck that carried it there or to others who only want to visit and
view the unique geography of the area.
WHERE TO SEND IT:
Address your comment to
El Centro Field Office Manager Margaret Goodro mgoodro@blm.gov
Send a copy of your comment to the constituent webforms of your
U.S. Representative and BOTH of your U.S. Senators.
ACT NOW!
THE DEADLINE IS THIS WEDNESDAY
NOVEMBER 2, 2011!