<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Dick Powell and I noted that when the cans were removed and some were replaced by dumpsters the amount of trash we picked up in the parking lots and areas that used to have cans greatly increased.  We discussed this with Old Faithful maintenance several times with no luck.  One thing about some of the dumpsters that we found particularly inconvenient was the bearproof locks that required one hand to unlatch, one hand to simultaneously lift the cover, and your third hand to actually place the trash in the dumpster.  I understand that the park is really in a crunch with declining budgets and increased workload, but I think the trashcan removal was a big mistake (from my admittedly biased point of view).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'> geysers-bounces@lists.wallawalla.edu [mailto:geysers-bounces@lists.wallawalla.edu] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Karen Webb<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, December 04, 2014 3:38 PM<br><b>To:</b> Geyser Observation Reports<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Geysers] Entrance and Backcountry Fee<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>The ones I miss most are the ones at the pullouts in Hayden Valley, although they weren't as bear-proof as they might have been.<br>Karen Webb</span><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On 12/3/2014 1:49 PM, Lynn Stephens wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks Janet, but I think you meant new outhouses at Midway Geyser Basin parking lot rather than Lower Geyser Basin parking lot.<br> <br>And, when the garbage can was removed at Great Fountain, garbage cans also disappeared from all other places--Black Sand, Biscuit, Steel Bridge, Flood pull-out, Hot Lake, etc., etc., etc., all over the park.  The rationale I was given for taking out the garbage cans was cost, potential injury to maintenance persons trying to empty the garbage cans, and use of dumpsters wherever there were outhouses would handle the garbage that otherwise would have gone into the cans.<br> <br>Lynn<br> <o:p></o:p></p><div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><hr size=3 width="100%" align=center id=stopSpelling></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 13:18:00 -0500<br>From: <a href="mailto:pinkconemtgo@gmail.com">pinkconemtgo@gmail.com</a><br>To: <a href="mailto:geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu">geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu</a><br>Subject: Re: [Geysers] Entrance and Backcountry Fee<o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>During the comment period, before the parking lot for Fountain Paint Pots was actually approved, the Johns family read the EIS (I think it was called that then.)  We went and counted parking lot spaces.  It was designed to cut  the spaces by a third.  We went to the Visitor Center and explained it to a number of the naturalists at the time.  They had all thought it would be a bigger lot!  Everyone complained.  We gave out forms to every geyser gazer that appeared before the comment period ended.  Not only was the lot shortened but the number of outhouses was cut by a third also.  That was to accommodate new outhouses at the Lower Geyser Basin parking lot. Adding those outhouses required additional time to stop to clean them so it was determined that Fountain needed a third less to keep from hiring more cleaners.  That is also why the garbage can at Great Fountain was removed.  Personnel hiring needed to decline. As always in Yellowstone, the rates go up and the services to the public go down.   I don't think a rate increase will change that trend.  Its all well and good to fight with fish....but humans need help in the park too.  The only option to this is to limit the number of visitors per day.  I suggest that eliminating all tour groups (particularly foreign groups) would be a fine start.  <br><br><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>Now this very grumpy ex-volunteer will shut up.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Thu, Nov 27, 2014 at 8:50 AM, David Prast <<a href="mailto:davidjprast@gmail.com" target="_blank">davidjprast@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Jim,<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>You stated, "and then they get to keep 80 million". Did you mean <u>up to</u> 80 million? Are you stating collection of revenue is capped at 80 million? Later in your posting you referred to a 20 million dollar split between Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. What is the source of that 20 million dollar figure? I'm a little confused.<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>It seems the funding stream is somewhat complicated based on a number of variables. How have you come to learn about the funding mechanism? Do you know where I could find the actual formula? <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>David Prast<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br><br><br><br><br><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Wed, Nov 26, 2014 at 6:38 AM, <<a href="mailto:seeyellowstone@aol.com" target="_blank">seeyellowstone@aol.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I'm wondering why no one is complaining about winter use in Yellowstone.  This has truly become for the elite.  It's not possible for a family of 4 to go to Old Faithful in the winter under $400 for the day.  By the way the park does not get to keep 80% of the revenue until they paid Congress the amount the park brought in back in 1996, the park has to pay that first, then they get to keep 80 million.  For example, our of the 3.5 million visitors that came in last year, let's say there were 1 million vehicles (it seemed like it some days), at $25 per car load, that would be $25 million.  The park even advertises that they get to split 2.5 million last year though this program (no where near 20 million), if Congress would keep their hands out of the pot in the first place, Yellowstone and Grand Teton would be splitting over 20 million, and all national parks would be self sustaining, likely without a fee increase.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Jim Holstein<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>-----Original Message-----<br>From: Karen Webb <<a href="mailto:caros@xmission.com" target="_blank">caros@xmission.com</a>><br>To: Geyser Observation Reports <<a href="mailto:geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu" target="_blank">geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu</a>><br>Sent: Tue, Nov 25, 2014 5:50 pm<br>Subject: Re: [Geysers] Entrance and Backcountry Fee<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>Can I just point out that, in the case of FPP, the parking lot used to extend to the north and have the decent, airier, I-have-not-just-been-dropped-into-an-oubliette sort of latrine. If an environmental impact statement was the cause of either the shrinkage of the parking lot or the placement of these blots on the name of humanity, I was not aware of it (although that can be said of other things).<br>Karen Webb</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>On 11/24/2014 1:35 AM, <a href="mailto:michellechristine08@gmail.com" target="_blank">michellechristine08@gmail.com</a> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>There is not an exact plan yet for where the extra revenue will go, but they hope to use a portion of it for gill netting in Yellowstone Lake as well as setting some aside for a rehabilitation fund.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Also, just a note on the parking areas at FPP and Midway. The reason that those parking <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>lots are not expanded has nothing to do with funding. Therefore, you should not expect that to be in the plans for extra revenue. Expanding parking areas in protected areas like our national parks is pretty complicated, involving environmental impact statements and other plans that take years to complete. In Yellowstone, you also have to take into account the thermal areas that lie close to those parking lots. If those parking area were being built today, they would never be where they are. They are already too close to thermal areas, so expanding them is out of the question. It stinks, but it is true.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>As far as the entrance fee increase goes, the fact is that our national parks need more money. Thankfully, Yellowstone was not impacted too much by the sequester a couple years back (because it is such a popular and large park) but visitor centers all over the nation were closed and important jobs cut. Unless parks get more money, actions like that will become much more common. As was stated earlier, short of changes in federal government funding, there really aren't a lot of other ways to get that extra money. They have to do what they have to do.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>For those that are interested, there are days that the national parks allow free entrance. For those that truly cannot afford the entrance fee, I am sure they can plan their trips to coincide with those days, especially if they live within short driving distance. The NPS advertises those days on their website.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Michelle Eide<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>On Nov 23, 2014, at 6:38 PM, David Prast <<a href="mailto:davidjprast@gmail.com" target="_blank">davidjprast@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Having reviewed the minutes if the meeting that were provided, I noticed there was no mention of the the specific use of the additional revenue. It would seem there is no interest in a shuttle system (thank goodness) and the no interest in expanded parking at Fountain Paint Pots even though the number of automobile parking spaces was reduced during the last parking lot project.  So....what is the "plan" for the additional revenue? Is there a specific designated project for the additional revenue? <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Just wondering,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>David Prast<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>On Sat, Nov 22, 2014 at 12:05 PM, <<a href="mailto:mmjustus@mmjustus.com" target="_blank">mmjustus@mmjustus.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>I disagree wholeheartedly with this, especially for people who live within a reasonably short drive (say within a tank of gas) and make trips to the park on a shoestring.  Or who have to save pennies to make trips to the national parks.  Every dollar counts.  This is how I visit national parks, and I will tell you that yes, doubling the entrance fee would make a huge difference to people like me.  And there are a lot more of us than those making this argument seem to think there are.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>Meg Justus</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>I agree with Ben.  The cost is a real bargain—Disneyland and Disney World charge $100 per day.  It seems to me highly unlikely that the small rise in entrance fee would prevent any but the most casual potential visitor from coming, considering the cost of travel and other expenses.</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Ralph Taylor</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>_______________________________________________<br>Geysers mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu" target="_blank">Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu</a><br><a href="https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers" target="_blank">https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>_______________________________________________<br>Geysers mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu" target="_blank">Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu</a><br><a href="https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers" target="_blank">https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></blockquote><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p><pre>_______________________________________________<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>Geysers mailing list<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><a href="mailto:Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu" target="_blank">Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu</a><o:p></o:p></pre><pre><a href="https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers" target="_blank">https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers</a><o:p></o:p></pre></blockquote><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><hr size=3 width="99%" align=center></span></div><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse;border:currentColor'><tr><td style='padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 6.0pt;border:currentColor'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.avast.com/" target="_blank"><span style='border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=100 height=100 id="_x0000_i1027" src="cid:~WRD000.jpg" alt="Image removed by sender."></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal>This email is free from viruses and malware because <a href="http://www.avast.com/" target="_blank">avast! Antivirus</a> protection is active. <o:p></o:p></p></div></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div><div><pre style='background:white'><tt>_______________________________________________<o:p></o:p></tt></pre><pre style='background:white'><tt>Geysers mailing list<o:p></o:p></tt></pre><pre style='background:white'><tt><a href="mailto:Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu" target="_blank">Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu</a><o:p></o:p></tt></pre><pre style='background:white'><tt><a href="https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers" target="_blank">https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers</a><o:p></o:p></tt></pre></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><br>_______________________________________________<br>Geysers mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu" target="_blank">Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu</a><br><a href="https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers" target="_blank">https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><br>_______________________________________________<br>Geysers mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu">Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu</a><br><a href="https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers" target="_blank">https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><br>_______________________________________________ Geysers mailing list <a href="mailto:Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu">Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu</a> <a href="https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers">https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><br><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><pre>_______________________________________________<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>Geysers mailing list<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><a href="mailto:Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu">Geysers@lists.wallawalla.edu</a><o:p></o:p></pre><pre><a href="https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers">https://lists.wallawalla.edu/mailman/listinfo/geysers</a><o:p></o:p></pre></blockquote><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><hr size=1 width="99%" noshade style='color:#909090' align=center></div><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td style='padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 6.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.avast.com/"><span style='border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=100 height=100 id="_x0000_i1029" src="cid:~WRD000.jpg" alt="Image removed by sender."></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#3D4D5A'>This email is free from viruses and malware because <a href="http://www.avast.com/">avast! Antivirus</a> protection is active. <o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>