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Baucus introduces bill to eliminate some access fees

By SCOTT McMILLION Chronicle Staff Writer

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., has introduced a bill that would eliminate the Forest Service's ability to charge extra fees for such things as picnicking or parking a car in certain areas.


 The federal government has had the ability to charge those extra fees since Congress gave its approval in 2004, but hasn't done so to a large degree in Montana.

In parts of the country where the government has exercised that authority, the fees have been widely unpopular. In some cases, people faced fines for parking along roadsides or at trailheads.

Baucus voted for the fee authority in 2004 but only because the Federal Lands Recreational Enhancement Act was attached to a huge omnibus spending bill, he said at the time.

Baucus called the bill a “recreational access tax” in a written news release, and said the bill he introduced Monday will do away with it.

Former Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., also opposed it in 2004 but Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., supported the measure at the time.

The bill allowed the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to charge fees in areas that attract a lot of visitors. It called for 80 percent of the money collected to be kept in the area where it was generated. The bill did not apply to the National Park Service.

“Americans already pay to use their public lands on April 15,” Baucus said. “We shouldn't be taxed twice to go fishing, hiking or camping on our public lands.”

Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, is a co-sponsor.

Baucus spokesman Barrett Kaiser agreed that the extra fees are rarely charged in Montana, but said Baucus wants to make sure they don't gain a foothold.

“He wants to put a stake in this program,” Kaiser said. “He wants to make sure we don't see increased fees or new fees.”

Supporters of the fee program predicted it would raise about $200 million a year. Kaiser said that figure is “probably in the ballpark as far as we can tell.”

Baucus said other funding mechanisms will be found to pay for necessary maintenance.

Scott McMillion is at scottm@dailychronicle.com

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