Pennsylvania is one of only eight states that offer free entrance for everyone to state parks.

A state legislator from Carbon County wants to change that.

State Rep. Doyle Heffley, who complains that hordes of coronavirus-fleeing out-of-state visitors are trashing Beltsville State Park in his district, has introduced a bill that would allow the state to begin charging admission or parking fees at any state park. bipape.com

Since Pennsylvania’s heralded state parks system was created in 1893, the parks have been accessible for free to all. It’s been a proud guiding principle of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Making state parks cost money would case more harm than good. LNP/Lancaster Online, 9/6/2020.