State parks mull several new fees

Indianapolis -- The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is asking the legislature to approve 37 fee hikes that would generate an additional $3 million to run the agency.\nThe fees effected would range from the cost for a license to collect wild ginseng, which would increase from $25 to $100 a year, to a taxidermist's license, which would rise from $15 to $45 a year.\nAlso proposed is a new $3 admission charge to state historical sites that would generate more than $1 million for the department.\n"It's a change, but they believe most people would be happy to (pay admission) to improve interpretation and services at the sites," DNR Director John Goss said.\nIf the Legislature approves the fee hikes, the new rates could begin July 1, 2003.\nGoss said the fee increases were necessary to help keep state parks and other facilities operating in the face of $10 million in departmental budget cuts over the past two years.\n"We have not solved the budget deficit for Indiana," Goss said. "But (the Department of Natural Resources) has sacrificed our fair share. Now we're doing our best to keep the gates open."\nOne proposed fee change is a the per-ton charge on coal-burning power plants for dumping coal ash at surface mines. The proposed 50-cent per-ton fee would help cover programs to monitor the effects of coal ash on water supply at surface mines that are regulated by the state.\nDepartment officials have also called on legislators to consider making payments of $2 to $3 per acre to counties based on the amount of department-owned land in the county.\nGoss said the agency sometimes has trouble buying new park land because counties fight losing any land that could become a source of property tax revenue.\nThe department has also requested legislative permission to tap into a fund established by the sale of lifetime fishing and hunting licenses.