Park Extends Comment Period for Proposed Campground Fee Increase

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will continue accepting comments through July 12, 2016 on a proposal to increase fees at frontcountry campgrounds and picnic pavilions along with proposed changes to the management of three campgrounds by adding them to the national reservation system through Recreation.gov. The proposal, titled “Recreational Fee Proposal Information Document,” has been available for public review since May 26. The comment process has been amended to allow anonymous comments.

The park held informational open houses on June 20 at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center and on June 23 at Park Headquarters where the public was invited to learn more about the proposed pavilion and campground fee increase, and submit written comments. Over 60 comments have been received to date. It is not necessary to re-submit these comments. Park officials recently learned that anonymous comments could be accepted through the National Park Service’s Planning, Environmental and Public Comment (PEPC) website. In order to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to comment on the proposal, officials have extended the comment period for an additional 14 days. All comments, including those made anonymously, will be accepted.

Details of the proposal may be found at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/grsm under “Proposal to Increase Fees at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.” Online comments are accepted at this website. Written comments will also be accepted by mail or e-mail addressed as follows:

• Mail: Superintendent, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Attn: Proposal to Increase Fees, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
• E-mail: GRSM_Fee_Management@nps.gov

Before including your address, telephone number, electronic mail address, or other personally identifying information in your comments, you should be aware that your entire comment (including your personally identifying information) may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us to withhold your personally identifiable information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.