Hodel Denies Plans for Across-the-Board Park Fee Increases

The Reagan Administration wants to increase entrance fees for national parks only “where appropriate,” and not across the board, Interior Secretary Donald P. Hodel said Monday.

In a speech to a convention of firms holding concessions in the parks, Hodel said that the Interior Department’s plans had been widely misinterpreted. He said the department wants park entrance fees to provide 25% of management costs, about $128 million, instead of the present 7%. But that does not mean that a fee increase would be imposed at each park, Hodel said.

“We will seek reasonable increases where appropriate,” he said. “In some cases, entrance fees already are at a reasonable rate and many parks would continue a free admission policy.”