Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act

Bill: 108-hr-3283
Sponsor: Rep. Regula, Ralph [R-OH-16]
Introduced: 2003-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Alaska
American Revolution
Animals
Boats and boating
Camping
Civil War
Collection of accounts
Commemorations
Commerce
Commercial aircraft
Competition
Consumer discounts
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of Agriculture
Department of the Interior
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Families
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Habitat conservation
Hawaii
Historians
Historic sites
History
Larceny
Law
Lease and rental services
Liability (Law)
Licenses
Maintenance and repair
Marketing
Monuments and memorials
Motor vehicles
National forests
National monuments
National parks
National recreation areas
Natural areas
Nature conservation
New Jersey
New York State
North Carolina
Outdoor recreation
Parking facilities
Pennsylvania
Recreational vehicles
Signs and signboards
Social Welfare
Sports and Recreation
Surety and fidelity
Tennessee
Tourism
Transportation and Public Works
User charges
Virginia
Volunteer workers
Wildlife refuges
World War II

Summary:
action_date: 2003-10-08
text: 
Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior (with respect to the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Reclamation) and the Secretary of Agriculture ( with respect to the Forest Service) (the Secretary concerned) to establish: (1) fair and equitable basic recreation fees, expanded recreation fees, and special recreation permit fees; and (2) guidelines identifying the process by which Federal land management agencies shall establish and change amounts charged for such fees. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary concerned to charge basic recreation fees for: (1) National Park System units; (2) National Conservation Areas; (3) National Recreation Areas; (4) National and National Volcanic Monuments; (5) National Scenic Areas; and (6) areas of substantial investment by Federal land management agencies. Instructs the Secretary concerned to designate at every Federal land management unit and area that charges such a fee at least one day annually during periods of high visitation as a Fee-Free Day when no such fee is charged.
 
Authorizes the Secretary concerned to charge expanded recreation fees at Federal lands and waters under the jurisdiction of Federal land management agencies when visitors to those lands or waters: (1) receive or are provided direct services; (2) use specific or specialized facilities or equipment; (3) require additional attention by staff, representatives, or contractors; or (4) participate in activities involving more costs than costs associated with the basic recreation fee. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary concerned to require special recreation permits and charge special recreation permit fees for specified recreation uses, including commercial tours and recreation events. 
 
Sets forth the authorities for the establishment of general recreation passes.
 
Directs such Secretaries to: (1) establish (and allows such Secretaries to charge fees for) America the Beautiful-the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes, which shall cover the basic recreation fee charged at all Federal land management agency units and areas for which a basic fee is charged; (2) hold annual competitions to select the image on the Pass; (3) establish the price of the Pass; and (4) market the Pass. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary concerned to: (1) establish and charge fees for site-specific and regional multientity passes; (2) use volunteers to collect recreation fees and sell recreation passes; and (3) issue Passes to volunteers in exchange for significant volunteer services.
 
Sets forth provisions for the establishment of special accounts for Federal land management agencies and the distribution and expenditure of recreation fees and pass revenues from such accounts.
 
Sets forth provisions for the enforcement of payments of recreation fees.

action_date: 2004-11-19
text: 
Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act - (Sec. 3) Authorizes the appropriate Secretary (the Secretary of the Interior with respect to a Federal land management agency other than the Forest Service or the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to the Forest Service), beginning on January 1, 2005, to establish, modify, charge, and collect recreation fees at Federal recreational lands and waters as provided for in this section.
 
Specifies requirements for recreation fees, entrance fees, standard amenity recreation fees, expanded amenity recreation fees, and special recreation permit fees. 
 
(Sec. 4) Sets forth provisions for public participation in the development or changing of recreation fees established under this Act. Requires the appropriate Secretary to provide: (1) notice of the establishment of a new recreation fee area for each agency six months before establishment; and (2) advance notice of a new recreation fee or change to an existing recreation fee established under this Act.
 
Directs the appropriate Secretary to establish a Recreation Resource Advisory Committee in each State or region for the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to advise the Secretary regarding the establishment of a standard amenity recreation fee or expanded amenity recreation fee.
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretaries to: (1) establish, and authorize charging a fee for, America the Beautiful-the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes which shall cover the entrance fee and standard amenity recreation fee for all Federal recreational lands and waters for which an entrance fee or a standard amenity recreation fee is charged; (2) hold annual competitions to select the image on the Pass; (3) establish the price of the Pass; and (4) market the Pass. Allows such Secretaries to enter into cooperative agreements with governmental and nongovernmental entities for the development and implementation of the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Program. Prohibits establishing any national pass, except as provided in this section. 
 
Authorizes the appropriate Secretary to establish and charge fees for site-specific and regional multientity passes.
 
(Sec. 6) Sets forth requirements regarding specified cooperative agreements.
 
(Sec. 7) Provides for the establishment of special accounts for Federal land management agencies and the distribution and expenditure of recreation fees and pass revenues from such accounts.
 
(Sec. 8) Sets forth requirements for use of fees at specific sites and areas.
 
(Sec. 9) Requires reports to Congress every three years on the status of the recreation fee program for Federal recreational lands and waters.
 
(Sec. 10) Terminates the Secretary's authority to carry out this Act ten years after the enactment of this Act.
 
(Sec. 11) Authorizes the appropriate Secretary to: (1) use volunteers to collect recreation fees and sell recreation passes; and (2) issue passes to volunteers in exchange for significant volunteer services.
 
(Sec. 12) Provides for the enforcement of the payment of recreation fees.
 
(Sec. 13) Repeals specified superseded admission and use fee authorities.
 
(Sec. 14) Sets forth provisions concerning the relationship of this Act to other laws and fee collection authorities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-11-22
text: House Committee on Agriculture Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Dec. 10, 2004.
action_date: 2004-11-19
text: House Committee on Agriculture Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Nov. 22, 2004.
action_date: 2004-11-19
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-790, Part I.
action_date: 2004-11-19
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-790, Part I.
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health Discharged.
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans Discharged.
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: Subcommittee on Water and Power Discharged.
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Discharged.
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2004-09-22
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2003-10-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
action_date: 2003-10-14
text: Executive Comment Requested from USDA, Interior.
action_date: 2003-10-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health.
action_date: 2003-10-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans.
action_date: 2003-10-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands.
action_date: 2003-10-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.
action_date: 2003-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-10-08
text: Introduced in House