A new proposal by the Trump administration to privatize national park campgrounds is reportedly under consideration.
In an attempt to pump more revenue out of popular parks and public lands, the Trump administration is considering a proposal that would allow private firms to run aspects of the nation’s campgrounds. This could lead to Amazon deliveries and food trucks gaining a role certain campsites for an extra fee and the elimination of senior discounts. The idea casts campers as consumers in an attempt to pump more revenue out of popular parks and public lands across the country report USA today.
According to the National Park Service, the committee who issued the recommendations, the “Made in American” Interior Department’s Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee, disbanded on Nov. 1 and no actions have been taken on the idea.
“Overall capacity has not kept up with growth and changes in camping demands and the infrastructure that does exist, with few exceptions, fails to meet expectations of the contemporary camping market,” the group wrote in a memo sent to Secretary of the Interior, David Bernhardt, after a meeting held in October.
Their goal is to modernize the offerings of the outdoors, calling campgrounds an “underperforming asset,” in a proposal to the Department of Interior. The group suggested improving amenities like Wi-Fi, equipment rentals, and, “high-quality contemporary campgrounds,” that would offer food trucks, mobile camp stores, Amazone deliveries, and more.
The group thinks these upgrades would improve and maximize park service sites, potentially call for new baseline fees, and ensure the future interest of the parks from younger campers. The committee stated that these changes could be applied across various department bureaus as soon as next month.
