Department of the Interior Initiates New Interagency Passes

Date: January 16, 2007
Contact: Outer Banks Group, [phone]

Outer Banks Group Begins Sales of the America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreation Land Pass.

Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett and Under Secretary of Agriculture Mark Rey announced a new interagency recreation pass that will benefit visitors to national park lands. The new pass, authorized by Congress in 2004, combines the benefits of existing recreation passes from five federal agencies into one comprehensive pass, the "America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreation Land Pass."

The new pass covers recreation opportunities on public lands managed by four Department of Interior agencies - the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and by the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service.

Access to most public lands remains free. The pass only applies to those locations that currently have entrance or standard amenity fees. The new program replaces the Golden Eagle, Golden Age, and the Golden Access Passports as well as the National Park Passport. Existing passes will remain valid until expired, lost or stolen.

Sales of the new pass began on January 1, 2007 and are available at federal recreation sites that charge entrance and standard amenity fees, through government internet sites, and through select third-party vendors. The new passes are available at Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, NC.

One hundred percent of the revenue derived from passes sold will directly benefit the selling agency with no less than 80 percent of the sale remaining at the site where the pass was sold. The annual interagency pass revenue will benefit public lands by providing funds for maintenance, new visitor services and programs.

The four different passes in the new interagency program are:

· Interagency Annual Pass costing $80.00 -- For visitors to multiple federal sites, the pass offers unlimited coverage for entrance fees for a year, beginning from the date of purchase.

· Interagency Senior Pass for U.S. citizens 62 or over, costing $10.00 and valid for the lifetime of the pass holder. Provides discounts on some standard amenity fees such as camping.

· Interagency Access Pass free for citizens with permanent disabilities and valid for the lifetime of the pass holder. Provides discounts on some standard amenity fees such as camping.

· A free annual volunteer pass for volunteers acquiring 500 hours of service on a cumulative basis.

The new interagency pass is good at vehicle-based entry sites for all occupants in a single, non-commercial vehicle. At walk-up sites, the pass is good for the pass holder and three adults. There is no charge for children under 16.