I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4873 
To modify the Forest Service Recreation Residence Program as the program 
applies to units of the National Forest System derived from the public 
domain by implementing a simple, equitable, and predictable procedure 
for determining cabin user fees, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 17, 2014 
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To modify the Forest Service Recreation Residence Program 
as the program applies to units of the National Forest 
System derived from the public domain by implementing 
a simple, equitable, and predictable procedure for deter-
mining cabin user fees, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Cabin Fee Act of 
2014’’. 
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SEC. 2. CABIN USER FEES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture (re-
ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall establish 
a fee in accordance with this section for the issuance of 
a special use permit for the use and occupancy of National 
Forest System land for recreational residence purposes. 
(b) INTERIM FEE.—During the period beginning on 
January 1, 2014, and ending on the last day of the cal-
endar year during which the current appraisal cycle is 
completed under subsection (c), the Secretary shall assess 
an interim annual fee for recreational residences on Na-
tional Forest System land that is an amount equal to the 
lesser of— 
(1) the fee determined under the Cabin User 
Fees Fairness Act (16 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.), subject 
to the requirement that any increase over the fee as-
sessed during the previous year shall be limited to 
not more than 25 percent; or 
(2) $5,600. 
(c) COMPLETION OF CURRENT APPRAISAL CYCLE.— 
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall complete the current ap-
praisal cycle, including receipt of timely second appraisals, 
for recreational residences on National Forest System 
land in accordance with the Cabin User Fees Fairness Act 
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of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.) (referred to in this Act 
as the ‘‘current appraisal cycle’’). 
(d) LOT VALUE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Only appraisals conducted 
and approved by the Secretary in accordance with 
the Cabin User Fee Fairness Act (16 U.S.C. 6901 
et seq.) during the current appraisal cycle shall be 
used to establish the base value assigned to the lot, 
subject to the adjustment in subsection (e). If a sec-
ond appraisal— 
(A) was approved by the Secretary, the 
value established by the second appraisal shall 
be the base value assigned to the lot; or 
(B) was not approved by the Secretary, the 
value established by the initial appraisal shall 
be the base value assigned to the lot. 
(e) ADJUSTMENT.—On the date of completion of the 
current appraisal cycle, and before assessing a fee under 
subsection (f), the Secretary shall make a 1-time adjust-
ment to the value of each appraised lot on which a rec-
reational residence is located to reflect any change in value 
occurring after the date of the most recent appraisal for 
the lot, in accordance with the 4th quarter of 2012 Na-
tional Association of Homebuilders/Wells Fargo Housing 
Opportunity Index. 
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(f) ANNUAL FEE.— 
(1) BASE.—After the date on which appraised 
lot values have been adjusted in accordance with 
subsection (e), the annual fee assessed prospectively 
by the Secretary for recreational residences on Na-
tional Forest System land shall be in accordance 
with the following tiered fee structure: 
Fee Tier 
Approximate 
Percent of Permits 
Nationally 
Fee 
Amount 
Tier 1 ...................................
6 percent ..........................................
$600
Tier 2 ...................................
16 percent ........................................
$1,100
Tier 3 ...................................
26 percent ........................................
$1,600
Tier 4 ...................................
22 percent ........................................
$2,100
Tier 5 ...................................
10 percent ........................................
$2,600
Tier 6 ...................................
5 percent ..........................................
$3,100
Tier 7 ...................................
5 percent ..........................................
$3,600
Tier 8 ...................................
3 percent ..........................................
$4,100
Tier 9 ...................................
3 percent ..........................................
$4,600
Tier 10 .................................
3 percent ..........................................
$5,100
Tier 11 .................................
1 percent ..........................................
$5,600. 
(2) INFLATION
ADJUSTMENT.—The Secretary 
shall increase or decrease the annual fees set forth 
in the table under paragraph (1) to reflect changes 
in the Implicit Price Deflator for the Gross Domes-
tic Product published by the Bureau of Economic 
Analysis of the Department of Commerce, applied on 
a 5-year rolling average. 
(3) ACCESS AND OCCUPANCY ADJUSTMENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall by 
regulation establish criteria pursuant to which 
the annual fee determined in accordance with 
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this section may be suspended or reduced tem-
porarily if access to, or the occupancy of, the 
recreational residence is significantly restricted. 
(B) APPEAL.—The Secretary shall by reg-
ulation grant the cabin owner the right of an 
administrative appeal of the determination 
made in accordance with section 2(e)(3)(A) 
whether to suspend or reduce temporarily the 
annual fee. 
(g) PERIODIC REVIEW.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on the date that 
is 10 years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and 
the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 
of Representatives a report that— 
(A) analyzes the annual fees set forth in 
the table under subsection (e) to ensure that 
the fees reflect fair value for the use of the land 
for recreational residence purposes, taking into 
account all use limitations and restrictions (in-
cluding any limitations and restrictions imposed 
by the Secretary); and 
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(B) includes any recommendations of the 
Secretary with respect to modifying the fee sys-
tem. 
(2) LIMITATION.—The use of appraisals shall 
not be required for any modifications to the fee sys-
tem based on the recommendations under paragraph 
(1)(B). 
SEC. 3. CABIN TRANSFER FEES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a fee 
in the amount of $1,200 for the issuance of a new rec-
reational residence permit due to a change of ownership 
of the recreational residence. 
(b) ADJUSTMENTS.—The Secretary shall annually in-
crease or decrease the transfer fee established under sub-
section (a) to reflect changes in the Implicit Price Deflator 
for the Gross Domestic Product published by the Bureau 
of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce, 
applied on a 5-year rolling average. 
SEC. 4. EFFECT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act limits or re-
stricts any right, title, or interest of the United States in 
or to any land or resource in the National Forest System. 
(b) ALASKA.—The Secretary shall not establish or 
impose a fee or condition under this Act for permits in 
the State of Alaska that is inconsistent with section 
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1303(d) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conserva-
tion Act (16 U.S.C. 3193(d)). 
SEC. 5. RETENTION OF FEES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning 10 years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary may retain, 
and expend, for the purposes described in subsection (b), 
any fees collected under this Act without further appro-
priation. 
(b) USE.—Amounts made available under subsection 
(a) shall be used to administer the recreational residence 
program and other recreation programs carried out on Na-
tional Forest System land. 
SEC. 6. REPEAL OF CABIN USER FEES FAIRNESS ACT OF 
2000. 
Effective on the date of the assessment of annual per-
mit fees in accordance with section 2(e) (as certified to 
Congress by the Secretary), the Cabin User Fees Fairness 
Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.) is repealed. 
Æ 
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