Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Field reports: Lake Roosevelt fees to increase Feb. 9

PARKS – Camping and boat-launching fees will increase starting Feb. 9 at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.

The area is among numerous National Park Service units where fees will be increased this year to help maintain facilities.

The camping fee from May 1 to Sept. 30 will be $18 a night; group site use will be $55 a night for 1-25 people, $80 a night for 26-50 people, and $105 a night for 51-75 people.

The offseason camping rate (Oct. 1-April 30) will be $9.

The boat launching fee will be $8 for a week

The boat launch annual permit will be $45.  The discounts are being dropped for buying the permit at different times of the year. 

Holders of federal America the Beautiful passes for seniors and disabled will continue to get discounts on nightly camping and weekly boat launch permit fees, but regulations do not allow discounts on already discounted items such as yearly boat launch permits.

Annual boat launching permits can still be purchased for $30 before Feb. 9 at pay.gov  or Coulee Hardware in Grand Coulee, Forth Spokane Store or Kettle Falls Harvest Foods.

State land grabs opposed by sportsmen

PUBLIC LAND – Sportsman’s groups are organizing against efforts in Western states to eliminate federal control of public land.

Lawmakers in Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming are exploring ways to get state control of federal public lands within state borders.

“More than 72 percent of Western sportsmen depend on these lands for access to hunting,” said Joel Webster of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

State budgets could be stretched beyond their ability should they take over ownership of federal lands, the coalition said in a media release, “with widespread industrial development and the eventual sale of these lands to private interests being the expected result.”

Montana legislation aimed at public access

PUBLIC LAND – Bills have been proposed to levy stiffer state fines on Montana landowners who illegally gate roads and require that they show proof of ownership before blocking access.

Two Great Falls lawmakers said in a statement that their goal with House Bills 286 and 304 is to improve public access to public lands by keeping roads they say are public open.

Plan stalls to raise Idaho hunt, fish fees

LICENSES – A bill to raise hunting and fishing fees for Idaho residents for the first time since 2005 has stalled.

The House Resources and Conservation Committee on Thursday voted to hold the bill in committee until additional information could be gathered.

That often means a bill has died but Idaho Fish and Game Director Virgil Moore says he’s optimistic he can provide the information lawmakers seek.

The agency’s money comes from hunting and fishing licenses. Agency officials say costs have increased in the last 10 years while resident fees have stayed the same.