The National Park Service (herein NPS or the Park Service) is now faced with a lawsuit over its “cashless” policy. It’s being implemented at some of its sites across the country. Most recently, RVtravel.com announced that Lake Mead National Recreation Area made the 30th Park Service site that refuses cash payments. Now three people have filed a suit to stop the Park Service from going cashless.
Legal tender—U.S. currency?
Three people, Esther van der Werf of Ojai, California, Toby Stover of High Falls, New York, and Elizabeth Dasburg of Darien, Georgia, filed suit in U.S. District Court earlier this month. The suit asks the court for a declaratory judgment that the Park Service is in violation of U.S. law that “legal tender”—U.S. currency—is suitable “for all public charges.” If their suit is successful, it would force the Park Service to accept cash for any fees charged to visitors.
The Park Service argues that it needs to go cashless for several reasons. It claims the cost of handling cash is expensive, and also raises issues of security for employees—and the cash itself. However, the suit to stop the Park Service from going cashless raises other issues. It points out that a huge number of Americans do not have banks to support ATM cards, nor do they have credit cards.
Stop the Park Service from going cashless—Ire raised by NPS suggestions
The Park Service response to the defendants raised ire among some who heard of it. Esther Van der Werf asked Saguaro National Park staff by email if she could pay with cash. Park staff responded, “[W]e do not have the capability to accept cash. On your way to Arizona, you might be able to stop at a park that does accept cash and purchase an Interagency Annual pass.”
Elizabeth Dasburg asked Fort Pulaski National Historic Site staffers a question. How could she enter if she only had cash to pay the entrance fee? On March 3, 2024, she heard back. “The switch to debit/credit card only was a permanent change that went into effect back in 2020. If you only have cash, you can go to the local grocery stores or big chains like Walmart to purchase a gift card. Since those are cards, we can accept them in leu [sic] of cash.” Go buy a gift card? Get yourself a pass from another park that does accept cash?
In part, the suit reads, “Plaintiffs do not ask the court to prohibit NPS from accepting credit cards, debit cards, or digital payment methods (such as ApplePay) should visitors to NPS sites prefer to use them. Rather, plaintiffs ask the court to restore entrance to NPS sites to those who cannot access non-cash payment methods (and those who choose not to) by declaring NPS cashless to be unlawful.”
NPS not the only agency with “cashless” protocol
These are just some of the National Park System units that don’t accept cash, or soon won’t. Also included are Mount Rainier, Death Valley, Lassen Volcanic, and Rocky Mountain national parks; Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments; Cumberland Island National Seashore; Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle national monuments; Badlands National Park; and Wind Cave National Park (for cave tours).
The National Park Service isn’t the only federal land agency rolling out “cashless” protocols. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently announced a “no cash” policy for its Virgin River Recreation Area in Arizona.
The BLM has found at least one way around the practice of agencies tabling cash payments, those citing staff or volunteer safety as their reason. At its Long Term Visitor Areas in Quartzsite, Arizona, volunteers who take cash payments for passes have a secured steel collection box inside their booth. Take the cash, and immediately drop it into the box. Only security personnel have the key to open and remove the cash. Others have suggested that the Service install “pass for cash” machines that would dispense entry passes when stuffed with real money.
The suit was filed in U.S. District Court for the of District Columbia. Oversight has been assigned to Judge Timothy J. Kelly.
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I can understand their reasoning. As far as people not having credit cards, there are probably more people that do not carry cash.
If nothing else, prepaid debit cards are available.
We’re talking about an arm of the U.S. government not accepting U.S. legal tender, which is absurd, regardless of the reason it may provide for this inconvenience. No one should be forced to find alternative means of paying for a service provided by the U.S.–that’s why it gets to print money!
Gee, maybe if the gov stopped printing non-backed money, maybe inflation would slow? Just wondering.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! 🙂 Interesting turn of events. I am especially glad that BLM has established a relatively safe way of receiving what could be large amounts of cash. Hopefully the NPS can just as easily adopt the same method. Foot, they could even write it up, call it “cross-agency collaboration,” and give all the agency big-wigs a performance award for saving the tax-payers loads of money by using off-the-shelf techniques. 😉 Thanks for the story, Russ and Tina, safe travels! 🙂
I have no data, but I would think that most would pay by card and much fewer use cash, therefore I doubt there would be that much cash on hand. Not being able to use US issued legal tender at a US park seems to be nuts. Using only credit cards is just giving card companies another way to track us and sell our info . While on the road I have had my card declined at a gas station just because I was out of my normal spending area of the country. Cash got me on my way until I could get the credit card company to straighten it out. It is nuts that US leangle tender cannot get us across our own country. How do I get into a park when their system is down for the day?
Exactly. I’ve been at a COE park when the power went down, could not pay for a site, had to scramble to find something the host happened to know was free, pay at a stupid kiosk in the morning. Many times have spent an hour trying to get registered online with signal problems.
Ridiculous over dependence on technology for simply parking a rig in the woods overnight, in a remote location. So many parks now are going unattended and wanting you to QR code instead of sticking cash or check in a host’s hand, or a pay box. It’s absurd, annoying and not everything in life needs to be done ‘by app’. We don’t work here, we’re trying to have outdoor recreation. Enough with the data entry.
QR code, I don’t get that and I don’t think that my flip phone would work with that. We do not have banking on our phones so I couldn’t pay that way anyway. When travelers checks went out and credit cards came in, I was younger and was able to buy into that and had to explain it to my folks. This IT stuff is leaving me in the dust, but I should still be able to spend dollars. Now days, if they steal my wallet, I guess they will steal the cards and leave the cash.
A cashless society is getting here a whole lot sooner rather than later.
That is the harsh reality. Have been to parking garages/lots on our last trip to Texas that ONLY took the phone apps. I HATE using my phone for any financial transactions, but just to function in the society of the future will mandate I get at least one of those apps installed as even plastic will be a thing of the past.
BTW…backing out of a parking garage entrance because you can’t pay isn’t fun!!! 🙂
So am I REQUIRED to get a smart phone and do my banking on it?
Then they need to get out the knuckle busters again. I want to buy groceries and gas when the power goes out.
I hope the plaintiffs succeed. U.S. Gov’t agencies need to accept U.S. legal tender. And it’s not just public…private as well.
Strange that the same group of Beaurocrats that say no photo ID should ever be required to vote because somehow, in 2024 having or getting a photo ID is overly burdensome for people if color and those same Beaurocrats are now then also wanting everyone to pay for NPS entry with said credit cards which oh yeah….. guess what….. require a photo ID upon request to verify its actually your card and not stolen.
Maybe the NPS will take Chinese Yuan soon. Just go to the bank and exchange your Ben Franklins for Xi Ji Pings.
Our government only use people of color as an excuse to push their agenda thru.
Try getting into Jellystone Park…better learn Chinese.
I hope the plaintiffs fail (btw, I am not a fan of lawyers). I find it difficult to believe someone cannot get a credit card or debit card let alone a phone id (that should be required for voting). Heck, you can even open a bank account without ever having to visit a sticks and bricks bank). I posit some folks would complain if they think their ice cream is too cold!
I hope they win their lawsuit. It burns me up when government agencies and associations don’t accept cash. They have to pay a fee to accept credit cards. We have to pay high interest on our credit card balance. Plus some retailers charge you a 3% fee to use a credit card. Visa and Mastercard charge $5. to purchase their debt card. Many poor people can’t get credit cards because of poor credit or don’t earn enough money. Than Financial institutions have to write off what is owed on credit cards from those who don’t pay their card bill.
Pay off your total balance every month instead of paying the minimum due, no interest.
Not everyone can do that.
Spoken like someone who never had to struggle to make ends meet. I suppose only the well off can visit the cashless parks. Not for you to enjoy, minimum wage employee working multiple jobs. Camping is a relatively low cost way to enjoy family time and nature. I used to be one of those lower income people in my youth and 20’s, didn’t have a credit card. Not now, I enjoy a comfortable life, but I remember those days when a vacation meant taking my daughter tent camping for a few days.
So, the jist of the story is some people don’t have access to credit cards thus will not have access to Natl Parks, BLM etc. I can understand and sympathize with that. Being the devil’s advocate…a couple questions to go along with that: How are they getting to the Natl Parks, BLM Lands etc? How are they paying for their car, gas or groceries? How about payment for their rent or mortgage? Everything with cash? That’s a lot of cash they’re carrying around with them!
But doesn’t everybody have the option to buy a prepaid debit at most any convenience store? Great points on how everything else is being addressed with only cash.
Ever hear of a checking account?
What about the Newcomers? They have no bank account and they may want to visit a NP upon arrival. Its my understanding that they are the best and the brightest and no better way to know our country than to fully immerse themselves than spending the first month in at Mt. Rushmore or Yellowstone.
What newcomers? The ones crossing the border now? I would think they got bigger things to concern themselves with than visiting a national park!
Yea…if you can get a checking account, then you can get a debit card!
My point!!! maybe even a credit card.
And potentially a photo ID doesn’t seem like a stretch….. maybe we can even use them for voting…..
We pay most things with cash or check.
A cashless digital currency means one thing only…. government has more control over your life. In Canada government froze bank accounts of protesters just imagine how much easier it would be to leave you penniless if you did something to upset them. It’s coming.
They froze the donations from fundraising platforms such as GoFundMe from flowing into individual accounts, not their individual bank accounts. At the time, some of the use of those donations was being called into question….. such as purchasing weapons to use against police and at the border.
We should not be directing frustration at park staff as most of them have very little, if any, input into daily operations. I get the whole issue of those that want cash and those that don’t. You both have valid points that can’t be refuted. But, from an daily operations point of view, it is much more efficient for the NPS to be cashless as there is less opportunity for fraud. I truly understand both sides of this issue and it will be interesting to watch this develop.
I hope they win the lawsuit. its patently ABSURD for the U.S. Government to NOT accept our own nation’s cash money for services. But so many things don’t make sense anymore in today’s version of America.
my thoughts exactly…how disingenuous of the federal government.
“This note is legal tender for all debts public and private” – Printed on the currency.
Entry into a park or other facility is a purchase – not a “debt”.
Have to pay a ‘fee’ to use a charge card? Fees are charged to have a service pick up the days receipts or pay someone to take the receipts to the bank.
Also one should consider the possibility that someone with criminal intent will relieve you of the days receipts (cash) and possibly cause harm to the attendant.
Secured cash ‘drop boxes’ may work well. Unless the attendant needs to make change. How much ‘change’ should be on hand? Enough to cash your $100 bill? Or several? See comment above.
No easy solution.
Cashless is the way to go. It prevents tax-free income padding by dishonest hosts that pocket your cash while not reporting your occupancy. It provides real time tracking of occupancy and site utilization for funding distribution, maintenance and upkeep. There’s no reason paying with an envelope needs to continue.
People get food stamps on a debit card so the excuse of no plastic is just plain silly.
One thought on cashless payments is the ability to data-track. When paying via cash, such as at fuel stations and stores, I can remain anonymous, especially during travel. Once I use any trackable system, credit/debit cards, store loyalty cards, etc. all that can be tracked to an individual.
Today our phones track us. Our modern cars track us. That information often sent/sold to other agencies to create profiles. So,…sometimes would it be nice not to be so called, spied on?
I guess none of the naysayers have never found themselves carrying several thousand dollars to a bank to deposit. As a volunteer at a coop I have often carried the deposit to the banks. Just last week I had about $5,000 cash because our social organization won’t take any form of plastic for dinners and other activities. We looked into the cost of having a secure bank pickup and it was more than the cost of accepting credit cards. Cashless is certainly more comfortable to me in these circumstances.
I feel like this is a different scenario: A national-based business (NPS) not accepting our national currency.
One could argue, however, that one could get around the phrase: “This note is legal tender for all debts public and private” by saying “We aren’t extending you a loan to get in, therefore you have no debt with us”, but… that would be mighty disingenuous of me.
Want to use cash, make sure you have exact amount as no change given. See how many people break out their plastic.
100% agree.
Yep, X 2
No change is given at self-registration sites. I always made sure I had plenty of $5’s and $1’s so I can deposit the exact amount. Most who pay cash do this. It doesn’t stop us from paying if there is an instance where a dollar or two extra goes in either. I consider just a small donation to the park.
This is just another example of someone wanting to complain because “they feel oppressed”. I read another article about this and the amount of money they expend handling the money far exceeds the amount they take in. People complain about the fact that services they receive aren’t what they expect when the Parks are underfunded. Makes sense that they would want to eliminate a money loosing proposition. Maybe they should just increase all entry fees to cover the slackards that insist on paying cash.
Perhaps you are emphasizing an example of Gov’t inefficiency. If every stix n brix business in the country can take cash efficiently, why is it so difficult for the govt to do so?
No one else looses money taking cash as a form of payment…… only way to loose cash is theft. Is that the issue and if so, fire the thieves and rehire?
Personally, I use CC.
Here’s why it’s expensive to handle cash. As a camp host in a National Forest, I have some insight. It takes a lot of time to visit each campground “iron ranger”, crawl into position on the ground to unlock it, fish out all the payment envelopes including ones that get stuck or weren’t sealed, then check them for actual valid money or checks in the correct amount, then compare to the campers on site, then chase down those who didn’t pay or paid wrong. That’s just the on-site part. Then we [tbc]…
[CONT’D] Then back in the office we have to extract all the money again, count/organize it for deposit, enter each envelope into the computer as a retro “reservation”, deal with exception processing for those who over/underpaid, etc. We have to separate cash/check deposits by campground, and fill out hours of paperwork for each site. Then we have to drive hours each way in the mountains to the nearest town bank to make a deposit–which costs gas, mileage, and increases accident risk. All these things add up to EXPENSIVE. An online reservation/payment system where the only thing we have to deal with is eyeballing a pre-paid receipt would save my location tens of thousands of dollars a yr.
That said, I *do* believe we should accept cash and checks forever. I mean, so many of our places have no electricity, cell service, etc. And we shouldn’t send campers hours back to town to get service and reserve online, just to come back and find someone else nabbed their spot in the meantime. I’m only explaining that it *is* expensive to handle cash in these areas.
I’m a Cdn & just returned from Olympic Nat’l Park. Upon self-registering at one of the campgrounds I was shocked at the ‘no cash’ policy. There are 2 things; first is when I travel to the US I often use cash – my credit card companies charge a fortune in exchange and ‘convenience’ fees. Second was I didn’t feel comfortable writing my card #, name & license # on the slip and putting it in the unattended slot. If it got broken into, there is my card info for anyone to help themselves to. I wrapped cash in the reg slip with an apology. I guess my Cdn opinion doesn’t count for much, just another point of view. I can’t fathom not taking cash. I know folks who don’t have credit cards.
Nobody I know ever heard of a Cdn. I have not the foggiest Idea. I would like you to define it. What does that have to do with Olympic National Park?
Really, George? Like Canadian, maybe? Have a good night. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com