NH Congressional Delegation Request Rescue Cost Reimbursement from USFS

[peakbagger]

https://newbostonpost.com/around-ne...pensate-state-for-rescues-in-white-mountains/

I expect a nice political feel good thing but don't see a lot of hope that the FS will establish a new precedent.

 

[Salty]

I've long thought this was the fair thing to do, and have been surprised it took so long for the proposal. That being said, I agree with your outlook...

 

[nartreb]

So, some of the congresspeople responsible for writing the USFS's budget are, instead of asking their colleagues to agree to a budget, writing directly to the agency asking the agency to divert funds to their own state, at the expense of some other USFS project.

To maintain the polite and non-political nature of VFTT, I'd better stop there.

 

[peakbagger]

I wonder if national parks have the same policy of letting the locals fund the rescues?. In theory a national park can charge an entrance fee to offset the cost but it would not be practical in the whites. The parking pass in theory was an attempt to charge users of the forest but given the various litigation rounds the revenue from the parking pass seems to have just offset reductions on the WMNF budget.

I havent visited a lot of National Forests beyond the UP in michigan and the forests along the AT down south but the other national forests I have visited did not resemble the usage of the whites which is far more recreational versus timber management. The whites are far more in keeping with a national park usage.

 

[NHClimber]

I wonder if national parks have the same policy of letting the locals fund the rescues?. In theory a national park can charge an entrance fee to offset the cost but it would not be practical in the whites. The parking pass in theory was an attempt to charge users of the forest but given the various litigation rounds the revenue from the parking pass seems to have just offset reductions on the WMNF budget.

I havent visited a lot of National Forests beyond the UP in michigan and the forests along the AT down south but the other national forests I have visited did not resemble the usage of the whites which is far more recreational versus timber management. The whites are far more in keeping with a national park usage.

Exactly. You cannot get away from the fact that the parking program is just another way to levy taxes and to do it in a manner that is less offensive than raising tax rates generally. Govt then frees up otherwise allocated funds for something unrelated. The net effect is higher taxation (for those national forest users) without any corresponding benefit (at least to the forests).