Salazar Announces NPS Will Waive Fees on Three Summer Weekends to Increase Tourism, Boost Economy

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that the National Park Service will offer three fee-free weekends this summer to encourage Americans seeking affordable vacations to visit these national treasures. There are 391 national parks located across the country in 49 states.

Press Release

Proposal to Close 220 State Parks

The State of California is faced with a dire fiscal situation. To help meet the state’s budget deficit, there is a budget proposal to eliminate the General Fund support of California State Parks.

California State Parks has identified 220 parks that would need to close and a list of 59 parks that would remain open, based on the information they know right now. This list is a DRAFT, a proposal. If they find that mid-course corrections suddenly apply, they will apply new information and adjust as necessary.

There are 220 state parks that rely on the $143 million in General Fund revenue. There are 59 which could be self-sustaining, obtaining revenue by other means. The lists of parks proposed to close and proposed to remain open are offered here.

Proposed GF Reduction Open Units

Proposed GF Reduction Closed Units

BLM Announces Public Scoping for Abandoned Mine Lands Programmatic Environmental Assessment

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), California Desert District (CDD) Office, is giving notice to initiate a public scoping period and conduct public meetings to identify issues and formulate alternatives for a programmatic environmental assessment (PEA). The PEA will address remediation of physical safety hazards associated with abandoned mined lands (AML) on public lands managed by the BLM in the CDD.

Public meetings will be held on May 27, 2009 in Ridgecrest at the Matarango Room, Marriot Spring Hill Suites at 113 E. Sydnor Avenue; and on May 28, 2009 in Yucca Valley at the Yucca Room, Community Services Department, 57090 Twentynine Palms Highway. Both meetings will begin at 6:00 pm.

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Valley Wells Safety Roadside Rest Area Opens May 1st

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will open the Valley Wells Rest Area on May 1, 2009 in the early morning hours after being closed for almost four years. The project site, which includes both north and southbound facilities at a cost of $6.5 million, is located approximately 25 miles south of the resort community of Primm, Nevada at the California State Line. The nearest services south of the facility include the town of Baker, 25 miles away. The next available safety roadside rest area, Clyde V. Kane, is located 29 miles south of Baker.

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BLM proposes to increase fees at Imperial Sand Dunes.

The ISDRA is proposing the following changes to the Two Tier Fee Program. Off site sales will increase to $40 / Week and $140 / Season.(The off site rates have not changed since Oct. 1, 2003.) On site sales will increase to $60 / Week and $180 / Season. Contact information for fee increase at ISDRA: Neil Hamada, Outdoor Recreation Planner, 760-337-4451.

Visit the updated Imperial Sand Dunes web page

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