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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 30, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18390-18391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-06731]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCOG01200 L12200000.MA0000 223]

Notice of Intent To Implement Camping Permit and Future Fee 
Program on Public Lands at Rabbit Valley in Mesa County, CO

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is implementing a future 
expanded amenity fee program for camping at Rabbit Valley campgrounds, 
located within McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area (NCA) in Mesa 
County, Colorado. The fee program will allow the BLM to meet increasing 
demand for camping activities, protect resources, prevent further 
deterioration of the recreation setting, enforce existing rules and 
regulations, and provide for enhanced information and educational 
opportunities.

DATES: Comments on the proposed fee changes must be received or 
postmarked by June 28, 2022 and must include the commenter's legible 
full name and address. Starting on Friday, September 30, 2022, the BLM 
will have the option to initiate fee collection at Rabbit Valley 
campgrounds for overnight visitation, unless the BLM publishes a 
Federal Register notice to the contrary. Comments received after the 
close of the comment period or delivered to an address other than the 
one listed in this notice may not be considered or included in the 
administrative record for the proposed fee program.

ADDRESSES: Please send comments to the BLM Grand Junction Field Office 
at 2815 H Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506 or by email at 
[email protected]. Documents concerning this fee change 
may be reviewed at the Grand Junction Field Office. Phone: (970) 244-
3000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Collin Ewing, NCA Manager, email: 
[email protected]; telephone: (970) 244-3000. Persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay 
Service at (800) 877-8339 to contact Mr. Ewing during normal business 
hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a 
message or question. You will receive a reply during normal business 
hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Federal Lands Recreation 
Enhancement Act (FLREA) and BLM policy, the BLM may collect fees in 
conjunction with Recreation Use Permits to manage visitor use, protect 
natural and cultural resources, achieve the goals and objectives of the 
applicable management plan, and authorize specific types of 
recreational activities. Under Section 2(g) of the FLREA, certain 
campgrounds qualify as sites where visitors can be charged an 
``Expanded Amenity Recreation Fee.'' Visitors wishing to use the 
expanded amenities can purchase a recreation use permit as described in 
the FLREA implementing regulations at 43 CFR part 2930. Pursuant to 
FLREA and the regulations at 43 CFR subpart 2933, the BLM may charge 
fees for overnight camping and group-use reservations where specific 
amenities and services are provided.
    The BLM is implementing fee collection in the Rabbit Valley 
campgrounds for overnight camping. Rabbit Valley is a popular 
recreation destination for off-highway vehicle riding, mountain biking, 
horseback riding, and hiking, located off Interstate 70, 2 miles east 
of the Colorado/Utah border. In accordance with a July 2019 decision, 
the BLM will be constructing new campgrounds in the Rabbit Valley area. 
Most campsites in the Rabbit Valley campgrounds will require a fee of 
$20 per night, except for group campsites, which will range from $20 to 
$50 per night, depending on the number of vehicles ($20 per night for 
the first two vehicles, additional vehicles are $10 per night up to a 
maximum of five vehicles). The BLM will identify and post specific 
visitor fees at each campground. Visitors holding an America the 
Beautiful--National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands ``Senior 
Annual Pass,'' ``Senior Lifetime Pass,'' or ``Access Pass'' would be 
entitled to a 50 percent discount on expanded amenity fees. Veterans 
and ``Annual Interagency Pass,'' ``Fourth Grade Pass,'' and ``Gold Star 
Families Parks Pass'' holders are not entitled to this discount.
    The BLM is also implementing a temporary, fee-free Individual 
Special Recreation Permit (ISRP) for camping in both undeveloped and 
developed designated campsites. Within the footprint of planned future 
campground development, undeveloped campsites for ISRPs will be 
designated with a sign. Dispersed camping outside of developed and 
undeveloped designated campsites will be prohibited. The BLM will phase 
out the ISRP as the new campgrounds in the Rabbit Valley are 
constructed.
    In response to increasing visitor demand, the BLM issued a July 
2019 Decision Record approving the development of additional campsites 
in the Rabbit Valley area as described in an Environmental Assessment 
(EA) (DOI-BLM-CO-S081-2018-0005-EA), and prepared a Business Plan for 
the project. The proposed action described in the EA, and approved in 
the Decision Record, included the option to charge a fee for overnight 
camping within the Rabbit Valley project area. The EA explained that 
the fee program would be developed through a separate process, which 
would include public involvement and consultation with the BLM Colorado 
Southwest District Resource Advisory Council (RAC). The BLM's public 
outreach process and analysis of the fee program are detailed in the 
Business Plan.
    The Business Plan outlines the agency management direction, the 
need for fee collection, and how the BLM intends to use the fees to 
improve and maintain the amenities in the Rabbit Valley area. 
Information about the use of the fee revenues will be posted at one or 
more kiosks within the fee area annually. As discussed in the Business 
Plan, the camping fees are consistent with other established fee sites 
in the region, including other BLM-administered sites and those managed 
by the U.S. Department of the Interior--National Park Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture--Forest Service, and the State of Colorado.
    In accordance with the FLREA and the Council of Environmental 
Quality regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, 
the BLM has notified and involved the public throughout this process. 
The BLM released its draft Business Plan and the Proposed Action for 
public scoping from June 24 through July 25, 2018. The BLM presented 
the proposed project and the results of this scoping to the BLM 
Colorado Southwest District RAC on March 8, 2019. The RAC passed a 
resolution to support fees in existing and new campgrounds in Rabbit 
Valley, with a separate resolution recommending that the BLM release 
the preliminary EA and an updated Business Plan for additional public 
comment. The public comment period ran from April 16 through May 17, 
2019.

[[Page 18391]]

The BLM presented summaries of the public comments to the RAC on June 
13, 2019. The RAC passed a resolution to support the Rabbit Valley 
camping project and collecting fees as provided in the Business Plan. 
The BLM welcomes public comments on the proposed fee changes.
    Before including your address, phone number, email 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 us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

(Authority: 16 U.S.C. 6803 and 43 CFR 2932)

Benjamin Gruber,
Acting BLM Colorado Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2022-06731 Filed 3-29-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P
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