CHINCOTEAGUE --The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the daily entrance fee to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge will increase from $5 to $8. The price of the weekly, refuge annual, interagency annual and senior passes will not change. All passes are accepted at both ends of Assateague Island.
According to Refuge Manager Lou Hinds, the refuge projected that the fee increases of 2008 would generate the additional revenues needed to help offset the costs of maintaining the beach parking lots and visitor safety services on Assateague Island as well as other visitor services projects.
"Since the addition of the $5 daily pass, our proceeds have remained the same. The price is too low and we have to change it," Hinds said.
Eighty percent of the fees collected come back to the refuge to fund visitor use and backlog maintenance projects. Hinds noted that this past year, the refuge used some recreation fee dollars for the historic Assateague Lighthouse Restoration Project. Work included restoring the gallery deck, repairing the roof and replacing the glass panels in the Lantern room. Additionally, fee revenues were used for the annual maintenance of roads, trails, beach parking lots, visitor safety services (lifeguards), fee collection and law enforcement support. This year, recreation fee dollars will be used for similar projects.
As required in the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004, the refuge will accept public comments on the proposed fee increase until April 30. Comments may be made by e-mail to FW5RW_ CNWR@fws.gov, or write to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box 62, Chincoteague, Va., 23336.
