The House Resources Committee Wednesday approved a bill representing "the culmination of years of work to reform a variety of National Park Service management practices," according to Congressional Green Sheets Express.
The legislation, offered by Parks Subcommittee Chair James Hansen, R-Utah, is different in minor respects from the "Vision 2020" bill offered by Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo. The Craig bill was passed by the Senate two months ago.
Among the major items in the package are changes in concessions policy, procedures for evaluating potential additions to the park system, scientific research programs, and fees for use of the national parks. It would establish training programs for park managers and require each park to develop five-year strategic plans and annual performance plans.
The bill would repeal the Concessions Policy Act of 1965 for contracts put to bid after August 1, 1998, including the current requirement that incumbent concessionaires be given preferential rights to renew their contracts or to provide expanded services. A proposal by Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., to end payments given to concessionaires at the end of their contracts based on capital improvements they made failed by one vote. But the panel approved a Miller amendment striking a clause that would have grandfathered two current concessions contracts in Grand Canyon and Glen Canyon national parks.
The bill also would extend the recreation-fee demonstration program through fiscal 2005 and establish procedures for the Park Service to collect fees from commercial film and photography operations, according to EESI Environment and Energy Mid-Week. The panel approved an amendment offered by Rep. Bruce Vento, D-Minn., that would allow the parks to use revenues collected from concessions and filming fees without a specific congressional appropriation.
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