60-day public comment period underway as of Friday for proposal that also would affect group charges, other Tongass National Forest Service facilities

By Jasz Garrett

Juneau Independent

The U.S. Forest Service opened a public comment period Friday that will run through July 20 on proposed recreation fees at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center.

The proposal is to raise the daily entry fee from $5 per person to $15, and charge $20 per person for a season/year pass, instead of the current fee of $15 per group.

The current group size is two people. Under the new proposal, only the pass holder would be covered. Children under the age of 16 are free. There is also currently a late-season/year fee of $10 per group that appears to have no change under the new proposal.

In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, which allows the Forest Service to retain funds collected at certain recreation sites to "operate, maintain and improve them."

"The additional funds, along with 95 percent of the revenue from recreation fees, remains on the forest to operate, maintain, and improve facilities," the project information page states. "The resources derived through collection of fees helps provide quality recreation opportunities that meet the modern expectation of visitors and creates a more financial sustainable developed recreation program for the benefit of future generations."

Each Forest Service region has a commenting tool that allows the public to provide feedback about active fee proposals. This tool includes a map and list of sites with the proposed fees where the public can comment on the proposed changes.

Along with the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, fee increases are also being proposed for the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center in Ketchikan and the to-be-built False Bay Cabin, which will offer views of Chatham Straight. General comments regarding all proposed sites are also accepted.

• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz@juneauindependent.com or (907) 723-9356.