Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Oversight Hearing on "Concession Contract Issues for Outfitters, Guides and Smaller Concessions"
Thursday, August 2, 2012 | 2:00 PM
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC LANDS OVERSIGHT HEARING ON:
OPENING STATEMENT: The Honorable Rob Bishop WITNESSES AND TESTIMONY: Panel I Peggy O'Dell David Brown Rick Lindsey Mike Mills Nat Patridge BACKGROUND: Special Use Permits are contracts that are issued and approved by the National Park Service to an individual, business, or organization allowing them to operate within National Park Service boundaries. A Special Use Permit must be acquired for activities that require some degree of management by the National Park Service. Over the years, the application and renewal process for special use permits have grown more time-consuming and complex. The increasingly burdensome requirements jeopardize the services that make National Park backcountry available to the public. This hearing will examine how contract requirements and management issues affect outdoor recreation in the National Parks. It will also focus on the skyrocketing costs imposed on smaller concession owners and what additional requirements are expected to be imposed in the future. Witnesses will include officials from the National Park Service and local service providers. |
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