Thursday, March 15, 2012

Forest service continues user fee despite court ruling

Last month a federal appeals court issued a ruling that prohibited the U.S. Forest Service from asking visitors to pay user fees to park and walk in the national forest. “It is clear that the Forest Service cannot collect a fee from someone who does nothing other than park,” wrote District Judge Robert Gettleman for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 15-page opinion. But Sue Exline, the district ranger in Ojai who oversees Forest Service operations in the Los Padres National Forest in the Ventura County area, said that her office will continue to collect the fee. “The agency’s direction to the field offices was to continue administering the Adventure Pass until further notice,” she said. “Nothing’s really changed. We still require visitors in Rose Valley to display an Adventure Pass, and yes, we are still checking to see that it’s displayed.”...more

They are giving a "notice of noncompliance" instead of a ticket.

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