Last December, many Morongo Basin and Mojave Desert residents were among the over 100,000 individuals across the country who commented in opposition to extreme fee increases for a number of National Parks including Joshua Tree National Park. Owing to the huge negative response, the Department of the Interior is reevaluating their plan; increased fees are still expected, but in smaller amounts. This Washington Post article provides background and details, including quotations from some impassioned commenters, and here is the local report by radio station KCDZ.

The Department of the Interior has extended the deadline for comments on National Park entrance fee increases to Friday, December 22, 2017.  You can go directly to the comment page or review the issues provided by the information and links in MBCA's prior News Update on this topic.

The National Park Service has announced in this Press Release that it plans to increase entrance fees at a number of National Parks, including our own Joshua Tree National Park.  Fees would be increased during the "peak season" of January to May.  Here is the local KCDZ radio story and the Desert Sun's report.  MOST IMPORTANT to note is that there is an opportunity for public comment from October 24 to November 23, 2017. UPDATE:  DEADLINE extended to Friday, December 22, 2017. This NPS webpage contains a summary of the fee changes and the link to public comment, or send your comments by mail to National Park Service, Recreation Fee Program, 1849 C Street, NW, Mail Stop: 2346 Washington, DC 20240.

The Morongo Basin is now home to an international Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree National Park achieved their long-time goal of Dark Sky Park status bestowed by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA).  This significant achievement is the result of several years of work by Park staff, providing data and receiving IDA representatives for review. 

The Desert Sun Editorial Board has published an opinion piece criticizing Governor Jerry Brown's request for federal assistance to develop the Eagle Crest pumping station project.  This is the "giant battery in the desert" hydroelectric project proposed for the Eagle Mountain Mine lands at the southeast border of Joshua Tree National Park.  The privately owned mine area was not included in the recent study recommending return of about 22,000 acres of nearby land back to the National Park.  Read the Desert Sun editorial to learn more about why the project is "not a wise use of precious desert water."  You can also read more about the Eagle Crest project by scanning past articles on MBCA's Water Issues page.