| Contacts: | Vanessa Delgado, Public Affairs Specialist, 970-244-3097 | |||
| David Boyd, Affairs Specialist, 970-876-9008 |
Mud Springs Campground fees adjusted to meet operating costs (06-29-10)
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — The Bureau of Land Management is adjusting fees at the Mud Springs Campground southwest of Grand Junction effective July 9, 2010.
Camping fees at Mud Springs Campground, a popular area 20 miles southwest of Grand Junction, will increase from $5 per night to $10 per night. This increase will allow BLM to meet the operating costs to manage and maintain the area. Current fee revenue does not cover the area’s $5,300 annual operating cost.
More than 1,000 visitors recreate at the Mud Springs Campground annually. The fees are expected to generate $5,500 per year, all of which will be used to manage and maintain the area. Last year, the BLM generated about $3,300 in fees. Mud Springs Campground has 14 campsites, two group campsites, and 10 day-use picnic sites.
“Under this kind of fee structure, people using this developed area pay for its upkeep and facilities,” said Catherine Robertson, Grand Junction Field Manager. “All the fees collected at Mud Springs will be used at Mud Springs.”
The Mesa County Board of Commissioners, Town of Fruita, Northwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council, the Colorado Recreation Resource Advisory Council, and many people who use the campground have stated their support for the new fee structure.
The BLM manages more land - over 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506