Letter to Tom Tidewell, Chief US Forest Service - Forest Service Directive that Threatens New Hampshire Campgrounds
Letter
The Honorable Tom Tidwell
Chief, U.S. Forest Service
Sydney R. Yates Building
201 14th Street SW, 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20250
Dear Chief Tidwell:
I write to express my objection to a Forest Service directive prompted by the government shutdown that stands to result in the temporary closure of privately-owned campgrounds nationwide that contract with the federal government - including in New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest.
Small business owners form the backbone of our nation's tourism industry and are the economic engine of recreation-based communities nationwide.
While the shutdown is harming private tourism-based businesses near federal lands, I am concerned that the Forest Service is unfairly targeting private businesses with which it contracts - even though those businesses are independently operated.
The President and Congressional leaders need to come to the negotiating table immediately to resolve their differences and produce a fiscally responsible solution that both houses of Congress can support to quickly reopen our government. However, in the meantime, published reports indicate that the Forest Service is informing its concessionaires, such as private campground operators in the White Mountain National Forest, that they must cease their business operations as early as Wednesday. Insofar as these businesses operate on a day to day basis independent of the federal government and without federal funds, this directive appears to be unnecessarily punitive to these small business owners.
As you are no doubt aware, we are rapidly approaching the Columbus Day holiday weekend, which small business tourism vendors - such as privately owned campgrounds - rely on heavily for their livelihood. Preventing these independent businesses from operating would seem to needlessly threaten their viability, along with the local jobs that they provide.
In light of the severe consequences this directive stands to have on private businesses, I ask you to withdraw this order immediately to allow these campgrounds to operate over the Columbus Day weekend. Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.
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