[Nmcaver] Guadalupe Fee Increase

[Mark Minton]

	The following was posted on the Texascavers email list and might be 
of interest to some NM cavers as well.  It proposes a steep change in 
the day-use fee, from $3 to $10 per person over a couple of years.

Mark Minton


United States Department of the Interior
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
400 Pine Canyon Road Salt Flat,TX 79847
915.828.3251

In reply refer to;
F5419(GUMO) June 13, 2006

Dear (Sir or Madam):

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is contemplating a fee increase to
be effective January 1, 2007. The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement
Act of 2004 requires that I give you an opportunity to participate
and/or comment on the proposed fee increase. Your input is important
and I hope that you will give some consideration to the ramifications
of this proposal.

The proposed fee increase will raise fees from the current rate of
$3.00 per person 16 and over to $10.00 per person 16 and over. If
allowed to do so, I'd like to petition the Regional Director to
graduate that increase over the next three years. Basically, we would
begin by changing the fee to $7.00 per person in January of 2007 and
elevating the fee to the full level in January of 2009.

Camping fees will remain unchanged for the time being. Should a need
to change the camping fees arise, I will again notify the public prior
to implementing any changes.

In addition to the entrance fee changes, we would like to propose the
creation of an annual park pass. The pass will be offered at an annual
rate of $40.00. This pass will allow the user unlimited visits to the
park. However, this pass covers entrance fees only (camping fees are
excluded).

Again, I hope that you will give careful consideration to our proposal
to increase fees at Guadalupe. The ~trance fees collected are used to
enhance the park visitor experience and improve our infrastructure. As
a result of the fee demonstration program, we have been able to make
repairs to the campground septic system, develop several interpretive
wayside projects, and improve trail conditions in several areas of the
park.

Should you care to provide comments, please contact me either in
writing at the address above, or give me a call at 915-828-3251 xl04.
Should you care to reply electronically, my address is
gumo_superintendent at npss.gov. Thanks again for your consideration of
this extremely important issue.

Sincerely, John V. Lujan, (Park Superintendent)