Golden Age Passport/Card?

the following info is from the two websites listed in this thread.

In addition, the Corps of Engineers and Tennessee Valley Authority may honor the Senior and Access Passes.

Only paper Golden Age and Access Passports may be exchanged free of charge for new plastic passes.

I have not been refused a discount at any Corp park. Wonder why the word MAY in the above statement?

Quote: "In addition, the Corps of Engineers and Tennessee Valley Authority may honor the Senior and Access Passes"

Because in general the Age & Access passes are for national parks and forests, and other entities sometimes honor them but are not required to do so. Some state parks honor them too ... in effect because they honor age and disabled discounts, and these cards indicate you fall into that category -- you just need to ask as it is a state policy decision ...

I have learned that another reason that the capitalized "MAY" is listed is because each individual national park administration has the right to subcontract a vendor (concession) for the maintenance and provision of any service within the boundaries of the park. That privately owned concession (which will almost always be a for-profit entity) has the right to accept or reject honoring the use of the Golden Age/Access paper cards. The same is now true for the ATB plastic access cards. The common rule of thumb is that whenever the Federal entity is directly supervising and maintaining the particular service in question, there is a high likelyhood that the discount will be honored at 50%. Whenever a privately contracted vendor is engaged by the government, there might be a discount (set at whatever rate that vendor chooses) but there probably will not be a discount awarded. That helps to explain why, for instance, there might be a discounted (or free) access by use of the pass when government employees or volunteers are manning the gate; but that same pass will be for naught at the campground within the park where an outside concessionaire has been contracted to maintain and supervise that campground area.

Quote: "If you approach the station with the intent and appearance of picking up your "first" ATB card, pretending never to have had one before, they will issue you a new one and you may keep your old one as well. This is unethical and dishonest, and cannot be recommended."

So what does this mean?? Why would you write something like this?? Is this a hint or a complaint, or a "maybe you guys are crooks" seems a little disrespectful to me, actually, unless I'm misunderstanding your point.

That privately owned concession (which will almost always be a for-profit entity) has the right to accept or reject honoring the use of the Golden Age/Access paper cards.

I'm currently working for a concessionaire for the National Forest Service, managing numerous Forest Service campgrounds. The above statement is true. Here, we honor the 50% discount on camping, but not on day use or parking fees. Every place "MAY" be different.

to the point: "So what does this mean?? Why would you write something like this?? Is this a hint or a complaint, or a "maybe you guys are crooks" seems a little disrespectful to me, actually, unless I'm misunderstanding your point."

I approached the ranger station at the visitor's center at Acadia National Park on Thursday, June 14th, and the statement in questions was shared with me by the ranger. If you present your paper Golden Access card for exchange for the America The Beautiful plastic card, they will not require proof of eligibility. They will assume eligibility, and take your paper card in fair exchange for the plastic one. They will take possession of the paper one. Upon surrendering the paper card, they will grant the plastic one. They do not want the eligible holder of any Golden card to have more than one copy of that card. If, in the case that your card has been lost or stolen, it may be replaced upon presentation of proof of eligibility. In this case, you do not have a paper card to return to them, which is their intent. Any other retention of a paper card AND plastic card is a violation of the intent of the service. To keep the paper card (e.g. to have a "souvenir" or hold onto something that someday may have value) in your possession while requesting the plastic card is unethical. That is my point, and I hope that this clears up any misunderstanding.

Forgive me for implying that anyone was crooked. My hope was to help explain the reason why the park service will not allow more than one card per possession, and to add to the dialogue and perhaps clarify why some services MAY or may not grant any discount.