Recreational Fee Authority Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-1107
Sponsor: Sen. Thomas, Craig [R-WY]
Introduced: 2003-05-22 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative fees
Administrative procedure
Animals
Collection of accounts
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost effectiveness
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of the Interior
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Federal-state relations
Fees
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Habitat conservation
Law
Maintenance and repair
National parks
Nature conservation
Outdoor recreation
Revenue sharing
Signs and signboards
Social Welfare
Sports and Recreation
Surety and fidelity
Tourism
User charges
Volunteer workers

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-22
text: 
Recreational Fee Authority Act of 2003 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to establish, modify, and collect fees for: (1) admission to a unit of the National Park System (NPS); and (2) the use of National Park Service administered areas, lands, sites, facilities, and services. Requires fees to be based on an analysis of specified factors, including the benefits and services provided to the visitor and the cost and benefit to the Government. Directs the Secretary to establish the minimum number of fees and avoid the collection of multiple or layered fees. Requires proposed new fees or changes to be published in the Federal Register and prohibits them from taking effect for 12 months.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) enter into agreements with public or private entities to provide visitor reservation services and fee collection and/or processing services; (2) provide discounted or free admission days or use, modify the National Park Passport, and provide information to the public about various fee programs and program costs and benefits; and (3) enter into revenue sharing agreements with State agencies to accept their annual passes for NPS units within the State.
 
Requires: (1) all receipts collected pursuant to this Act or from sales of the Passport to be retained by the Secretary; (2) 80 percent of the fees collected at an area, site, or project to remain available for use at that area, site, or project (with a specified exception); (3) at least 50 percent of the fees collected as a result of the sale of the Passport to remain available for use at the area where they were collected; and (4) the Secretary to report to Congress triennially on the NPS recreation fee program. Authorizes the Secretary to use not more than 15 percent of total revenues to administer the program.

action_date: 2004-03-09
text: 
Recreational Fee Authority Act of 2004 - (Sec. 2) Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, beginning on January 1, 2006, to establish, modify, charge, and collect fees for: (1) admission to a unit of the National Park System (NPS); and (2) the use of National Park Service administered areas, lands, sites, facilities, and services by individuals and/or groups.
 
 Requires fees to be based on an analysis of specified factors, including: (1) the benefits and services provided to the visitor; (2) the cumulative effect of fees; (3) the comparable fees charged elsewhere and by other public agencies and by nearby private sector operators; (4) the direct and indirect cost and benefit to the Government; (5) public policy or management objectives served; and (6) economic and administrative feasibility of fee collection.
 
 Directs the Secretary to establish the minimum number of fees and avoid the collection of multiple or layered fees. Requires: (1) the results of the analysis together with the Secretary's determination of appropriate fee levels to be transmitted to Congress at least three months prior to publication of such fees in the Federal Register; and (2) proposed new fees or changes to be published in the Federal Register and prohibits them from taking effect for 12 months after the date the notice is published.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) enter into agreements, beginning on January 1, 2006, with public or private entities to provide visitor reservation services and fee collection and/or processing services; (2) provide discounted or free admission days or use, modify the National Park Passport, and provide information to the public about various fee programs and program costs and benefits; and (3) enter into revenue sharing agreements with State agencies, effective January 1, 2006, to accept their annual passes for NPs units within the State.
 
(Sec. 3) Requires, without further appropriation, all receipts collected pursuant to this Act or from sales of the Passport to be retained by the Secretary and permits expenditure of such sums as follows: (1) 80 percent of amounts collected at a specific area, site, or project (area) shall remain available for use at the specific area, except for those NPS units that participate in an active revenue sharing agreement with a State (in which case not less than 90 percent of amounts collected at a specific area shall remain available for use); (2) the balance of the amounts collected shall remain available for use by the National Park Service on a Service-wide basis; (3) monies generated as a result of revenue sharing agreements may provide for a fee-sharing arrangement (with the Service shares of fees being distributed equally to all NPS units in the specific States that are parties to the agreement); and (4) not less than 50 percent of the amounts collected from the sale of the Passport shall remain available for use at the specific area at which the fees were collected and the balance of the receipts shall be distribution as specified.
 
(Sec. 4) Provides that amounts available for expenditure at a specific area shall be accounted for separately and may be used for: (1) repair, maintenance, facility enhancement, media services and infrastructure including projects and expenses relating to visitor enjoyment, visitor access, environmental compliance, and health and safety; (2) interpretation, visitor information, visitor service, visitor needs assessments, monitoring, and signs; (3) habitat enhancement, resource assessment, preservation, protection, and restoration related to recreation use; and (4) law enforcement relating to public use and recreation.
 
Limits the Secretary to using 15 percent of total revenues to administer the recreation fee program including direct operating or capital costs, cost of fee collection, notification of fee requirements, direct infrastructure, fee program management costs, bonding of volunteers, startup costs, and analysis and reporting on program accomplishments and effects.
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary, on January 1, 2009, and every three years thereafter, to submit to Congress a report detailing the status of the Recreation Fee Program conducted in NPS units, including: (1) an evaluation of the Program conducted at each unit; (2) a description of projects that were funded, work accomplished, and future projects and programs for funding with fees; and (3) any recommendations for changes in the overall fee system.

action_date: 2004-05-19
text: 
Recreational Fee Authority Act of 2004 - (Sec. 2) Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, beginning on January 1, 2006, to establish, modify, charge, and collect fees for: (1) admission to a unit of the National Park System (NPS); and (2) the use of National Park Service administered areas, lands, sites, facilities, and services by individuals and/or groups.
 
 Requires fees to be based on an analysis of specified factors, including: (1) the benefits and services provided to the visitor; (2) the cumulative effect of fees; (3) the comparable fees charged elsewhere and by other public agencies and by nearby private sector operators; (4) the direct and indirect cost and benefit to the Government; (5) public policy or management objectives served; and (6) economic and administrative feasibility of fee collection.
 
 Directs the Secretary to establish the minimum number of fees and avoid the collection of multiple or layered fees. Requires: (1) the results of the analysis together with the Secretary's determination of appropriate fee levels to be transmitted to Congress at least three months prior to publication of such fees in the Federal Register; and (2) proposed new fees or changes to be published in the Federal Register and prohibits them from taking effect for 12 months after the date the notice is published.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) enter into agreements, beginning on January 1, 2006, with public or private entities to provide visitor reservation services and fee collection and/or processing services; (2) provide discounted or free admission days or use, modify the National Park Passport, and provide information to the public about various fee programs and program costs and benefits; and (3) enter into revenue sharing agreements with State agencies, effective January 1, 2006, to accept their annual passes for NPs units within the State.
 
(Sec. 3) Requires, without further appropriation, all receipts collected pursuant to this Act or from sales of the Passport to be retained by the Secretary and permits expenditure of such sums as follows: (1) 80 percent of amounts collected at a specific area, site, or project (area) shall remain available for use at the specific area, except for those NPS units that participate in an active revenue sharing agreement with a State (in which case not less than 90 percent of amounts collected at a specific area shall remain available for use); (2) the balance of the amounts collected shall remain available for use by the National Park Service on a Service-wide basis; (3) monies generated as a result of revenue sharing agreements may provide for a fee-sharing arrangement (with the Service shares of fees being distributed equally to all NPS units in the specific States that are parties to the agreement); and (4) not less than 50 percent of the amounts collected from the sale of the Passport shall remain available for use at the specific area at which the fees were collected and the balance of the receipts shall be distribution as specified.
 
(Sec. 4) Provides that amounts available for expenditure at a specific area shall be accounted for separately and may be used for: (1) repair, maintenance, facility enhancement, media services and infrastructure including projects and expenses relating to visitor enjoyment, visitor access, environmental compliance, and health and safety; (2) interpretation, visitor information, visitor service, visitor needs assessments, monitoring, and signs; (3) habitat enhancement, resource assessment, preservation, protection, and restoration related to recreation use; and (4) law enforcement relating to public use and recreation.
 
Limits the Secretary to using 15 percent of total revenues to administer the recreation fee program including direct operating or capital costs, cost of fee collection, notification of fee requirements, direct infrastructure, fee program management costs, bonding of volunteers, startup costs, and analysis and reporting on program accomplishments and effects.
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary, on January 1, 2009, and every three years thereafter, to submit to Congress a report detailing the status of the Recreation Fee Program conducted in NPS units, including: (1) an evaluation of the Program conducted at each unit; (2) a description of projects that were funded, work accomplished, and future projects and programs for funding with fees; and (3) any recommendations for changes in the overall fee system.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-06-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands.
action_date: 2004-06-01
text: Executive Comment Requested from Interior.
action_date: 2004-05-20
text: Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
action_date: 2004-05-20
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2004-05-20
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2004-05-19
text: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5841-5842; text of measure as reported in Senate: CR S5841-5842; text as passed Senate: CR 5/20/2004 S6017-6018)
action_date: 2004-05-19
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S5841-5842; text of measure as reported in Senate: CR S5841-5842; text as passed Senate: CR 5/20/2004 S6017-6018)
action_date: 2004-03-18
text: Star Print ordered on the reported bill.
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 443.
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Domenici with amendments. With written report No. 108-233.
action_date: 2004-03-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Domenici with amendments. With written report No. 108-233.
action_date: 2004-02-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2003-09-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 108-193.
action_date: 2003-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S6988-6989)
action_date: 2003-05-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6988)
action_date: 2003-05-22
text: Introduced in Senate