Proposed Annual Fee Increase

Date: April 19, 2007
Contact: Tom Markwardt, 724-329-2013

National Park Service Proposes Annual Fee Increase
Public Comments Sought

Farmington PA – Superintendent Joanne Hanley announces that “on January 1, 2008 the National Park Service is seeking to increase the cost of the Western Pennsylvania Parks Pass from $15 to $20. The pass is honored at Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial and Fort Necessity National Battlefield. Friendship Hill National Historic Site and Flight 93 National Memorial do not charge an entrance fee.” Hanley goes on to say “The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act allows parks collecting fees to keep no less than 80% of its fee revenues. These revenues are retained by the park for specific projects such as repairing, maintaining and enhancing facilities used by visitors and protecting natural and cultural resources.”

Hanley states “the annual pass is one piece of our total fee program. The daily entrance fee at each park will be five dollars in 2008. While sale of this pass generated $1,185 in revenue last year, the real value of this pass is providing our neighbors with an economic way to take advantage of their national parks. The proposed increase in this fee rate will help provide us with the funding needed to continue park enhancement projects in the future while keeping this valuable program for our loyal visitors.”

Deputy Superintendent Keith Newlin states “we are seeking public comments on the proposed annual fee increase for January 1, 2008 that covers Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site and Fort Necessity National Battlefield. If you have any comments please address them to Keith Newlin, Deputy Superintendent, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, 110 Federal Park Road, Gallitzin, PA 16641. You can also e-mail your comments to [e-mail]. Please have your comments back to me by May 15, 2007. If you have any questions, pleases don’t hesitate to call me at [phone].”

The National Park Service also offers a variety of other federal passes which provide access to National Parks and other federal land areas. These passes are good for senior citizens, people with disabilities and annual passes for all national parks and federal recreation lands that anyone can purchase. You can call Johnstown Flood National Memorial at [phone], Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site at [phone] or Fort Necessity National Battlefield at 724-329-5811 if you have any questions on these available passes.

You may submit you comment regarding this proposed action via e-mail.

-NPS-