A plan to change camping fees at Green Mountain Reservoir is on hold for the third year in a row, as the U.S. Forest Service tries to fill vacancies on a regional recreation advisory committee. PHOTO COURTESY NORTHERN COLORADO WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT.
Forest Service looking to fill spots on a committee that reviews fee programs
By Bob Berwyn
SUMMIT COUNTY — A Forest Service plan to raise camping fees at Green Mountain Reservoir is in limbo once again as a regional advisory committee that reviews fee programs doesn’t have enough members to make a decision. Several other fee proposals in the Rocky Mountain region are also on hold.
“Hopefully we’ll have something for next year. We’ll have to go back to the committee,” said Ken Waugh, recreation staff officer for the Dillon Ranger District.
For this summer, the fees will remain at $5 per vehicle at the popular camping areas, which see about 34,000 visitors each year. The Forest Service wants to raise the rate to $13 per campsite, covering up to two cars, with an extra $5 charge for added vehicles. A $65 season pass would still enable unlimited camping at the reservoir. At the same time, the Forest Service would drop the fees it currently charges for parking at the Cataract Lake trail head.
The Forest Service has been trying to boost revenues at Green Mountain Reservoir for the past three years to cover the costs of operating and maintaining existing facilities.
Since the fees at Green Mountain Reservoir are authorized under the 2004 Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, changes have to be reviewed and approved by the 11-member advisory committee.
But the Forest Service has faced challenges in filling spots on the groups, according to Pam DeVore, manager of the recreation fee program for the Rocky Mountain region. California is he only region that currently has a functioning committee, DeVore said.
Part of the reason it’s been hard to fill the committee is because it’s the membership is very narrowly specified by category, including representation from winter and summer motorized and non-motorized users, hunting and fishing interests,tourism officials, motorized and non-motorized outfitters and guides and even state tourism and tribal interests.
The idea is to get a representative cross-section of stakeholders to review fee programs, but the Forest Service has not been able to get enough candidates to fill all the spots for several months. Three spots are currently vacant and seven more of the appointed seats expire in July. DeVore said.
The agency needs more applicants for those spots — ideally two for each position — so that there are alternates for the meetings, generally held three times per year.
Anyone interested in applying for a spot on the committee can contact DeVore at (303) 275-5043 or via e-mail: pdevore@fs.fed.us. Applications are also online at the advisory committee’s website.
