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Last updated: 04/04/03

BLM Proposes Rule to Recover Costs Relating to Recreation Permits

The Bureau of Land Management today published a proposed rule in the Federal Register that would update cost-recovery requirements and make other changes in the BLM's existing recreation regulations. The proposed rule would take into account new developments in recreation technology, emphasize resource protection and update cost recovery requirements.

"The BLM is proposing these revisions to meet current public demands and expectations from the public lands," said BLM Acting Director Tom Fry, who noted that the current regulations have not changed in 15 years. "The new regulations will help us operate more effectively and efficiently by instituting up-to-date cost recovery standards."

While BLM's appropriated recreation budget has had a slight increase over the past decade, the cost of providing visitor amenities, administration, and other services to the expanding recreation public has escalated dramatically.

To recover costs, the BLM is proposing requirements for issuing recreation permits by seeking reimbursement for applications that take more than 50 hours of administrative time (instead of the current threshold of $5,000). This proposal is consistent with other BLM and Forest Service land use programs designed to achieve cost recovery. The revenues collected from the proposal will go back to the BLM to help protect the public lands and benefit the recreation public and special user groups. There will be no waivers for cost recovery fees unless authorized by the Director of the BLM.

Under the proposed rule, BLM field managers would have the flexibility to make decisions concerning permits and permit conditions, based on the local land and resource conditions. This would eliminate the need for setting arbitrary national numerical thresholds for numbers of vehicles triggering a permit requirement. The activities that will be affected by this proposal are any large-scale group activities, such as district scouting events, fraternity or sorority events, weddings and various competitive events, including endurance races, dog-sled races and Off Highway Vehicle races.

The BLM will consider comments received or postmarked on or before July 17, 2000 in preparation of the final rule. Comments may be hand-delivered to the BLM, Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L. St., N.W., Washington, DC., or mailed to the Bureau of land Management, Administrative Record, Room LS-401, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240. Comments may also be transmitted electronically via the Internet to WoComment@blm.gov; a commenter should include his or her name and return address, as well as the regulation identifier number "AD25." Comments will be available for review at the L Street address during regular business hours from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.

The BLM, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, manages more land - - 264 million surface acres - - than any other Federal agency. Most of this public land is located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, which has a budget of $1.2 billion and a workforce of about 9,000 employees, also administers more than 560 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM preserves open space by managing the public lands for multiple uses, including outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, and mining and by conserving natural, historical, cultural and other resources found on the public lands.

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