News Release

For Release:  February 10, 2009 
Contact:  Kevin Carson, 575.838.1280 

BLM Proposes Fee Increase at Datil Well Campground

Socorro, N.M. – In an effort to maintain and improve facilities and services at Datil Well Campground in Datil, New Mexico, the Bureau of Land Management is proposing to increase camping and group site fees in 2009. There have been no fee increases at the site since 1994 when fees were first established.

 
The current fees are $5 for overnight camping per site.  The proposal would increase the camping fee to $10 for individual sites. Group fees would be charged based on the number of people using a group site; $30 per night ($15 for day use) for groups up to 30 people, and $50 per night ($30 for day use) for 31-75 people. 

The intent of the fee program is to fund needed public services while protecting and enhancing public lands and natural resources. The primary use of fees is for the maintenance of existing facilities, services, and operations. Fees will also be used for low-level development such as site leveling, interpretation, shelter construction and trail upgrading. More costly projects will be evaluated based on availability of funds, such as adding new flush toilets and installing a dump station. 

The annual cost of operating the campground averages $30,000. Operation costs include providing campground hosts, maintaining a contact station, pumping vault toilets, providing routine maintenance (e.g. trash collection), major maintenance of facilities and trails, and upgrading and replacing facilities as needed.  BLM currently collects an average of about $4,800 per year in campground fees or less than 15 percent of the annual operating costs; the proposed fee increase is expected to generate about 30 percent of these costs.  The Management Plan for the Datil Well Campground will guide the use of all fees generated by this proposal. 

The public is invited to comment on the proposed fee increase by contacting Kevin Carson at the Socorro BLM Office at 575/838-1280 or via email at Kevin_I_Carson@blm.gov.  Comments must be received by Friday, February 27, 2009. The comment period has been extended until further notice. 

A final decision on the proposed fee increase will occur after BLM’s Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (RRAC) has reviewed the proposal and provided a formal recommendation to the BLM. 

For more information on the RRAC, please visit: http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/info/resource_advisory/recreation_rac.html

-BLM-