Notice of Intent To Collect Fees on Public Land in San Benito and Fresno Counties, California Under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, 35257-35258 [E7-12412]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management, Interior
• Land Management Bureau

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35257-35258]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12412]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management, Interior

[CA-190-1232-FU]


Notice of Intent To Collect Fees on Public Land in San Benito and 
Fresno Counties, California Under the Federal Lands Recreation 
Enhancement Act

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Collect Fees in the Clear Creek Special 
Recreation Management Area in San Benito and Fresno Counties, 
California.

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SUMMARY: To meet increasing demands for service and maintenance, the 
Bureau of Land Management intends to implement a fee collection program 
for the Clear Creek Special Recreation Management Area in San Benito 
and Fresno Counties, California, beginning in January 2008. The fees 
will be based on a fixed weekly fee rate or a fixed seasonal rate, as 
explained in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

DATES: Written comments of interested persons must be postmarked not 
later than July 27, 2007. Collection of fees will start in January 
2008, when notice thereof is posted in the Bureau of Land Management, 
Hollister Field Office, and at vehicle entry areas for the Clear Creek 
Special Recreation Management Area.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons may submit written comments to the Field 
Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Hollister Field Office, 20 Hamilton 
Court, Hollister, California 95023. The relevant BLM records are 
available for review at the above address during regular business hours 
7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Cooper, Field Manager, Hollister 
Field Office; or George Hill, Assistant Field Manager; 20 Hamilton Ct., 
Hollister, CA 95023. (831) 630-5000. E-mail: Rick Cooper@blm.gov/ca.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To meet increasing demands for services and 
maintenance of existing facilities, routes, and trails, the Bureau of 
Land Management (BLM)'s Hollister Field Office proposes to begin 
collecting fees January 2008 in the Clear Creek Special Recreation 
Management Area (CCMA) in San Benito and Fresno Counties, California, 
under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) of 2005. The 
primary recreation opportunity in the CCMA is off-highway vehicle use; 
however, more and more outdoor enthusiasts are engaging in other 
recreation activities in the CCMA with less surface impact, including 
hunting, hiking, backpacking, hang gliding, peak climbing, and rock 
hounding. Since the area offers recreation users both motorized and 
non-motorized recreation opportunities, the CCMA qualifies as a site 
wherein visitors can be charged a ``Standard Amenity Recreation Fee'' 
authorized under Section 3(f) and a ``Special Recreation Permit Fee'' 
authorized under section 3(h) of the REA. After receiving support, 
guidance, and recommendations from the Central California Resource 
Advisory Council (RAC), the BLM California State Office, and 
considerable public input, the BLM Hollister Field Office proposes a 
fee structure that would consist of charging a Standard Amenity 
Recreation (SAR) Fee of $5.00 per vehicle upon arriving at the site. 
This SAR Fee will only apply to users who use facilities at the Clear 
Creek Management Area and not for members of the public passing through 
the CCMA. For those visitors who would be participating in OHV use 
(e.g. ATVs, motorcycles, quads, dune

[[Page 35258]]

buggies), a Special Recreation Permit Fee (SRP) of $10.00 per OHV would 
be charged upon arriving at the site. Both the SAR and SRP fees would 
be good for a weekly pass covering a period from Wednesday through 
Tuesday regardless of day of purchase. An SRP season pass in the amount 
of $80.00 would also be available for purchase.
    BLM plans to seek review and a recommendation from the Pacific 
Southwest Region Resources Advisory Committee being established under 
the authority of the REA. The CCMA is a popular off-highway vehicle 
(OHV) recreation area and also offers excellent opportunities for 
hunting, hang gliding, rock hounding, hiking, backpacking, and peak 
climbing activities. The CCMA qualifies as an area where fees can be 
charged based on the significant opportunities for outdoor recreation, 
substantial Federal investment, the ability to collect fees 
efficiently, has designated developed parking, permanent toilets, 
permanent trash receptacles, interpretive signs, picnic tables, and 
security. The BLM's commitment is to find the proper balance between 
public use and the protection of sensitive resources. It is BLM's 
policy to ``collect fees at all specialized recreation sites, or where 
the BLM provides facilities, equipment or services, at federal expense, 
in connection with outdoor recreation use.'' The Clear Creek Special 
Recreation Management Area Fee Collection Project is intended to 
provide funding to maintain existing facilities and recreational 
opportunities, to provide for law enforcement presence, to develop 
additional services, and to protect unique and sensitive resources in 
the area.
    The rationale for charging recreation fees was established in the 
Clear Creek Special Recreation Management Area Business Plan and in a 
manner consistent with the following criteria: (1) The amount of the 
recreation fee shall be commensurate with the benefits and services 
provided to the visitor; (2) The aggregate effect of recreation fees on 
recreation users and recreation service providers were considered; (3) 
Comparable fees charged elsewhere and by other public agencies and by 
nearby private sector operators were considered; (4) Public policy or 
management objectives served by the recreation fee were considered; (5) 
Recommendations and guidelines regarding initiating fee sites from the 
Central California Resource Advisory Council (RAC) was considered and 
incorporated into the Business Plan; and (6) Other factors or criteria 
as determined by the Secretary were considered.
    The public has been notified and heavily involved since the 
inception of the idea to collect fees in the CCMA. The RAC; government 
officials; tribal, Federal, State, county, and local government 
agencies; environmentalists, recreationists, private in-holders and 
right-of-way holders have been notified of the Hollister Field Office's 
proposal to collect fees in the CCMA through direct mailings, 
bulletins, fee brochures, public meetings, and on-site information and 
public contact. The Clear Creek Management Area Resource Management 
Plan Amendment and Route Designation Record of Decision was issued 
January 2006 and allows for recreation opportunities and the charging 
of fees for use.
    All recreation fee receipts would be retained at the site. Of this 
amount, at least 85% would be used for repair and maintenance projects, 
interpretation, signage, habitat or facility enhancement, resource 
preservation, maintenance, law enforcement directly related to 
recreation use, support volunteer projects, Challenge Cost Share 
projects, and similar partnership authorities directly relating to 
visitor enjoyment, visitor access, and health and safety at recreation 
fee projects. The Hollister Field Office would not use more than 15% of 
total fees collected for administration, overhead, and indirect costs 
related to the recreation fee program except in the case of SRPs where 
this amount can not be exceeded for overhead and indirect costs 
relating to issuing and administering the SRP.
    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment including your personal identifying 
information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask in your comment to withhold from public review your personal 
identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do 
so.

(Authority: 43 CFR 1824.10)

    Dated: June 20, 2007.
Rick Cooper,
Field Manager, Hollister Field Office.
 [FR Doc. E7-12412 Filed 6-26-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P