[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7471-7472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3258]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R1-R-2008-N0318; 1265-0000-10137-S3]


Fee Collection at Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, OR

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to implement fee collection.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce our 
intent to collect an entrance fee at Tualatin River National Wildlife 
Refuge (Refuge), located in Oregon, as authorized by Federal Lands 
Recreation Enhancement Act (REA). Under REA provisions, the Refuge will 
identify and post specific visitor fees. The Refuge's proposed fees 
include a $2.00 per day per person fee or a $4.00 per day per vehicle 
fee (see proposed Fee Schedule under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION).

DATES: Submit your comments on this action by March 19, 2009. Unless we 
publish a notice in the Federal Register withdrawing this action, we 
will begin collecting fees on August 17, 2009 at the Refuge.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments by one of the following methods:
     By U.S. mail to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Attn: 
Branch of Visitor Services and Communications, 911 NE 11th Avenue, 
Portland, OR 97232.
     By fax to: (503) 231-6187.
     By e-mail to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Strassburg or Ralph Webber at 
(503) 625-5944.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In an effort to meet increasing demands for 
services, and to maintain developed facilities, we announce our intent 
to implement an entrance fee at the Refuge under 16 U.S.C. 6802(e) of 
the REA. The Refuge plans to use collected fees to repair, maintain, 
and enhance visitor facilities. Here is the proposed entrance fee 
structure:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Tualatin River Refuge visitors                Entrance fee
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1. Youth Ages 15 and Under...............  Free.
2. Daily Individual Entrance Fee (Fee is   $2.00
 per person/per day, when arriving on
 foot, bicycle, as part of a tour group,
 or on a bus.).
3. Daily Noncommercial Vehicle Entrance    $4.00
 Fee (Fee is per single, private
 noncommercial vehicle.).
4. Family Group Entrance Fee (Fee is the   $4.00
 maximum per day, per family, when
 arriving on foot, bicycle, as part of a
 tour group, or on a bus) A family group
 is defined as up to four adults (16
 years and older) and any number of
 children (15 years and under).
5. Annual Tualatin River Refuge Pass (per  $15.00 annually.
 single private noncommercial vehicle)
 valid for 1 year.
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Special Provisions and Exceptions to the Entrance Fee Structure

    National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is a ``fee-free'' day for all 
visitors to the Refuge. The National Environmental Education Foundation 
determines the date of NPLD. The Refuge may establish other ``fee-
free'' days in conjunction with special events such as International 
Migratory Bird Day and National Wildlife Refuge Week.
    The Refuge will not collect entrance fees from volunteers who are 
actively working on or for the Refuge during their scheduled duty 
times. Volunteers who contribute and record 80 hours of volunteer 
service or more during a fiscal year will receive an Annual Refuge Pass 
at no charge.
    The Refuge will waive entrance fees for school groups participating 
in the Refuge's environmental education field trip program. However, 
all educators interested in bringing students to the Refuge in grades 
K-8 must first complete the Refuge's teacher workshop. The Refuge will 
also waive fees for secondary level and collegiate student field trips 
that support a larger unit of study.
    The Refuge will waive site-specific entrance fees for enrolled 
members of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde with proper 
identification.

Passes in Lieu of Entrance Fees

    The Refuge will participate in two pass programs, the Federal Duck 
Stamp and the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal 
Recreational Lands Pass programs. The Refuge will honor and offer for 
purchase passes associated with these programs. Information on the 
programs is available on the Service's Internet site at http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/ and http://www.fws.gov/refuges/visitors/passes.html. The Refuge will also honor Golden Eagle, Golden Age, and 
Golden Access passes. A list of passes the Refuge will honor and/or 
sell follows. If your pass is not listed, we encourage you to contact 
the Refuge and inquire about pass acceptance prior to your visit.

[[Page 7472]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Passes honored by and/or available for purchase
                  at the Refuge                       Charge for pass
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Federal Duck Stamp (valid for 1 year           $15.00 annually.
 beginning July 1).
2. America the Beautiful National Parks and
 Federal Recreational Lands.
     Annual Pass........................  $80.00 annually.
     Senior Pass (lifetime pass for       One time fee of
     those who qualify).                           $10.00.
     Access Pass (lifetime pass for       Free.
     those who qualify).
3. Golden Eagle, Golden Age, and Golden Access    Honored, but not
 Pass. The Refuge will honor these passes          available for
 according to the provisions of each.              purchase.
4. Annual Tualatin River Refuge Pass............  $15.00 annually.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entrance Fees Support Refuge Visitor Facilities

    The Refuge plans to use collected fees to repair and maintain the 
following visitor facilities: trails, wildlife overlooks, a photography 
blind, environmental education study sites, interpretive signs, the 
Wildlife Center, public access roads, and parking lots. The Refuge will 
also use collected fees to purchase environmental education curriculum 
and equipment, interpretive publications, and exhibit materials. It is 
our policy to allow only activities that are appropriate and compatible 
with the specific site's purposes. In order to charge fees, the site 
must have the staff and resources to manage a fee activity as well as 
to collect and deposit money.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

Authorities and Requirements of the REA

    In December 2004, the REA became law (16 U.S.C. 6801-6814). The REA 
provides authority through December 2014 for the Secretaries of the 
Departments of the Interior and Agriculture (Secretaries) to establish, 
modify, charge, and collect recreation fees at some Federal recreation 
lands and waters, and contains specific provisions addressing public 
involvement in establishing recreation fees. The REA also directed the 
Secretaries to publish advance notice in the Federal Register whenever 
bureaus establish new recreation fee areas under their respective 
jurisdictions.
    Should public comments provide substantive reasons why we should 
not collect fees at the Refuge, we may reevaluate our plan and publish 
a subsequent notice in the Federal Register withdrawing this action. 
Otherwise, fee collection at the Tualatin River Refuge for visitor 
facilities and programs will begin on the date specified in the DATES 
section of this document, and the Refuge will post fee amounts and 
expenditures onsite.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 6801-6814.

    Dated: January 6, 2009.
David J. Wesley,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. E9-3258 Filed 2-13-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P