[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 145 (Thursday, July 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 41133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-19457]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[WO-250-24-1A]


Use Authorizations; Special Recreation Permits, Other Than on 
Developed Recreation Sites; Proposed Adjustment in Fees

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Public notice-specific fee adjustment for competitive and 
organized group activities or events, special recreation permits.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby gives notice it is 
adjusting certain special recreation permit fees for various recreation 
activities on BLM administered Public Lands and related waters. BLM is 
adjusting the minimum fee for competitive and organized group 
activities or events.
    Effective October 1, 1999, fee adjustments will be made 
automatically every 3 years using 1984 as the base year. These fees 
will be calculated and adjusted based on the change in the Implicit 
Price Deflator Index (IPDI). The fees will be rounded up to the nearest 
$1.00. This notice establishes the special recreation permit minimum 
fee for both competitive and organized group activities or events at 
$4.00 per person per day. Notice of the fee increase in the future will 
be announced in conjunction with the BLM and Forest Service minimum 
annual commercial fee and per site reservation fee. The next adjustment 
is scheduled for March 1, 2002. The intended effect is to ensure fees 
cover administrative costs of permit issuance, a fair return to the 
U.S. government for use of the public lands, and approach free market 
value in certain cases.
    The IPDI is published every February as a part of the ``Economic 
Report of the President'' to Congress. The IPDI is also cited monthly 
in the ``Survey of Current Business,'' a periodical available in most 
regional, university, and local government depository libraries.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Inquires or suggestions should be directed to--Director 
(100), Room 5660, Main Interior Building, Bureau of Land Management, 
1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lee V. Larson, National Recreation 
Group, (202) 452-5168.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1984 (49 FR 5300 and 49 FR 34332), the 
Bureau of Land Management announced its final regulations and policy 
concerning special recreation permits for individuals or organizations 
conducting commercial, competitive, and other uses. BLM established the 
minimum fee for competitive events at $2.00 per user day or 3% of gross 
receipts, whichever is greater, and group activities or events, other 
uses, at $1.50 per user day. These flat fees have not changed since the 
1984 Federal Register. The above Federal Register notices and 43 CFR 
8372.4(a)(1) states ``Fees for Special Recreation Permits shall be 
established and maintained by the Director, Bureau of Land Management, 
and may be adjusted from time to time to reflect changes in costs. The 
fee schedule shall be incorporated in the Manual of the Bureau of Land 
Management, published periodically in the Federal Register and 
otherwise made generally available to the public.'' Since 1984, 
inflation has devalued these fixed fee amounts. Therefore, it is 
necessary to adjust the minimum competitive and organized group 
activities and event fees and provide a mechanism for the fees to be 
self-adjusting based on inflation.
Tom Fry,
Director, Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. 99-19457 Filed 7-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M