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

WASHINGTON — 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.”