[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 28, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56622-56623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19332]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Notice of Guidelines for Public Involvement in Establishing 
Recreation Fee Areas and for Demonstrating How the Public Was Informed 
on the Use of Recreation Fee Revenues

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA; National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, DOI.

ACTION: Establishment of interagency guidelines.

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SUMMARY: This notice establishes guidelines on public participation and 
public outreach for the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service, and the United States Department of the Interior, National 
Park Service; United States Fish and Wildlife Service; Bureau of Land 
Management; and Bureau of Reclamation (the cooperating agencies). The 
guidelines apply to the establishment of new recreation fee areas and 
the demonstration of how the cooperating agencies have informed the 
public on the use of recreation fee revenues. In addition, each 
cooperating agency will determine specific public involvement 
opportunities based on local needs and interests. Detailed guidance on 
public involvement will be incorporated in each agency's directives, 
manuals, or orders.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These guidelines are effective September 28, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan Stephens, Recreation and 
Heritage Resources Staff, USDA Forest Service, (202) 205-1701; Lee 
Larson, Bureau of Land Management Recreation Fee Program, (202) 452-
5168; Jane Anderson, National Park Service, (202) 513-7087; Rebecca 
Halbe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (703) 358-2365; or Bruce Brown, 
Bureau of Reclamation, (202) 513-0599.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    In accordance with Section 804(c) of the Federal Lands Recreation 
Enhancement Act (REA) (16 U.S.C. 6803(c)), the United States Department 
of Agriculture, Forest Service (FS), and the United States Department 
of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Reclamation 
(Reclamation), United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and 
National Park Service (NPS), referred to collectively as the 
cooperating agencies, are jointly publishing these public involvement 
guidelines. These guidelines address public involvement in the 
establishment of any new recreation fee areas and describe how the 
cooperating agencies will demonstrate how they have informed the public 
on the use of recreation fee revenues.
    The cooperating agencies are responsible for management of Federal 
lands, resources, and waters and enhancing the public's knowledge, use, 
and appreciation of these lands, resources, and waters. The cooperating 
agencies agree to work together to implement the public involvement 
requirements in REA efficiently and effectively. The goals of the 
public involvement guidelines are to provide the public with 
opportunities to be actively engaged in establishment of any new 
recreation fee areas and to provide for effective ways to demonstrate 
annually how the public has been informed of how recreation fee 
revenues are spent. In addition, REA provides the FS and BLM with 
additional opportunities for public involvement through the 
establishment of Recreation Resource Advisory Committees. The public 
will also have opportunities to work with the cooperating agencies in 
recommending how the recreation fees will be spent.

II. Establishment of New Recreation Fee Areas

    The cooperating agencies will integrate public involvement 
opportunities in any decision to establish new recreation fee areas.
    REA applies to the Secretary of Agriculture as to National Forest 
System lands and the Secretary of the Interior as to lands managed by 
NPS, FWS, BLM, and Reclamation (16 U.S.C. 6801(10)). As required by 
Section 804(b) of REA (16 U.S.C. 6803(b)), the

[[Page 56623]]

Secretary with jurisdiction will publish a Federal Register notice of 
the establishment of each new recreation fee area 6 months prior to its 
establishment.
    The cooperating agencies will identify outreach efforts to 
encourage public involvement in establishment of new recreation fee 
areas. Outreach efforts may include recreation fee site visits, public 
meetings, focus groups, newsletters, and Web sites.
    Public involvement opportunities will include sharing plans 
developed by the cooperating agencies for establishment of any 
recreation fee areas. These plans generally will contain (1) a 
description of the new recreation fee areas; (2) a financial analysis, 
including projected development, operating, and maintenance costs and 
projected income for the fee area; (3) an analysis of existing private 
and public facilities or services in the vicinity of the fee area that 
may compete with it, and (4) a description of how the cooperating 
agencies will inform the public as to how the fees collected at the 
area are spent.
    In addition, each cooperating agency will determine specific public 
involvement opportunities based on local needs and interests. Detailed 
guidance on public involvement will be incorporated in each cooperating 
agency's directives, manuals, or orders.

III. Demonstrating Annually How the Public Was Informed of the Use of 
Recreation Fee Revenues

    The cooperating agencies annually will post notices at each 
recreation fee area informing the public of the use or anticipated use 
of recreation fees collected at that site during the previous year. In 
addition, in the triennial report to Congress on the recreation fee 
program required by Section 809 of REA (16 U.S.C. 6808), the 
cooperating agencies will describe how they have informed the public 
about the use of recreation fee revenues. This information will also be 
made available on cooperating agencies' Web sites.

    Dated: September 15, 2005.
Mark Rey,
Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment, Department of 
Agriculture.
    Dated: August 12, 2005.
P. Lynn Scarlett,
Assistant Secretary, Policy, Management and Budget, Department of the 
Interior.
[FR Doc. 05-19332 Filed 9-27-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P