On February 26, Congress held hearings on
the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program.
Keep the Sespe Wild
Committee was the only group present who voiced support for free access to
National Forests. Five members of Congress including Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA),
Rep. Linda Smith (R-WA), Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR, Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-CA), and
Rep. Helen Chenoweth (R-ID) testified that the program is either problematic for,
or negatively impacting, some of their constituents. Rep. DeFazio has also
introduced a bill to end
fees.
All others testifying supported permanent authorization for fees and/or wanted special treatment for particular users. These voices included the Clinton Administration, the leaderhip of many important Congressional Committees, the Park Service, the Forest Service, the American Recreation Coalition (ARC), the American Hiking Society (funded by 5 recreation corporations, 4 of whom are members of the ARC), the American Motorcyclist Association (a member of the ARC), and Outward Bound whose support "is predicated on the fact that wilderness is [their] classroom."
In the ARC's testimony they boasted that they were involved in the design and implementation of the Adventure Pass program in Southern California. Disney and REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) were singled out by the ARC as having played an important role.