[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 228 (Monday, November 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72971-72972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30470]


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DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCOF03003L12200000.FU0000]


Notice of Intent to Collect Fees on Public Land in Alamosa 
County, CO

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to applicable provisions of the Federal Lands 
Recreation Enhancement Act (REA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
La Jara Field Office is proposing to collect fees at the Zapata Falls 
Campground in Alamosa County, Colorado (Township 28S, Range 73W, 
Section 17). Under Section 2(2) of the REA, Zapata Falls Campground 
qualifies as a site wherein visitors can be charged an ``Expanded 
Amenity Recreation Fee'' authorized under section 3(g). In accordance 
with the REA, and the BLM's implementing regulations, the La Jara Field 
Office is proposing to charge $11 per night for individual sites and 
$20 per night for group-site fees for overnight camping within the 
developed campground.

DATES: This notice initiates the public comment period. Comments on 
issues may be submitted in writing by December 28, 2011. New fee 
implementation is contingent on a recommendation of the Colorado Front 
Range Resource Advisory Council (RAC) review. Per the REA, effective 6 
months after the publication of this notice, and dependent on review 
and an affirmative recommendation by the Colorado Front Range RAC and 
modification approval from the BLM Colorado State Director. To meet the 
terms of a RAC recommendation, the La Jara Field Office will provide 
final public notice under REA and initiate fee collection at the Zapata 
Falls Campground.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the proposed fee 
collection at Zapata Falls Campground by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/slvplc.html.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: (719) 655-2502.
     Mail: BLM, Saguache Field Office, 46525 State Hwy. 114, 
Saguache, CO 81149.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sean Noonan, Outdoor Recreation 
Planner; telephone (719) 655-6136; see address above; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Zapata Falls Campground was built in 
2010 with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. The 
campground has one camp host site, one group site, and 23 individual 
sites divided between a tent camping loop and an RV camping loop. The 
site includes water, restrooms, trails and signs. Pursuant to the REA 
and implementing regulations at 43 CFR subpart 2933, fees may be 
charged for overnight camping. Specific visitor fees will be identified 
and posted at the site and the La Jara Field Office. Fees must be paid 
at the self-service pay station located at the site. People holding the 
America The Beautiful--The National Parks and Federal Recreational 
Lands--Senior Pass (i.e., Interagency Senior Pass), a Golden Age 
Passport, the America the Beautiful--The National Parks and Federal 
Recreational Lands--Access Pass (i.e, Interagency Access Pass), or a 
Golden Access Passport will be entitled to a 50 percent reduction on 
all overnight camping fees. The BLM is committed to providing and 
receiving fair value for the use of developed recreation facilities and 
services in a manner that meets public-use demands, provides for 
quality experiences, and protects important resources. The BLM's policy 
is to collect fees at all specialized recreation sites, or where the 
BLM provides facilities, equipment or services, at Federal expense, in 
connection with outdoor use as authorized by the REA. Implementing a 
fee program for the campground will help ensure that funding is 
available to accomplish deferred maintenance, make future enhancements, 
maintain facilities and recreational opportunities, provide for law 
enforcement presence, develop additional services, and protect 
resources. Campground development is consistent with the 1991 San Luis 
Resource Area Resource Management Plan, the 2009 Zapata Falls 
Recreation Area Management Plan, and was analyzed in the Zapata Falls 
Campground Construction Project Environmental Assessment, CO-140-2009-
017-EA. Proposed fees at the Zapata Falls Campground are consistent 
with other established fee sites in the area, including other BLM-
administered sites and those managed by the United States Department of 
Agriculture Forest Service, United States Department of the Interior 
National Park Service, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The REA was 
signed into law in December 2004. The REA provides authority for the 
Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to establish, modify, 
charge and collect recreation fees for use of some Federal recreation 
lands and waters for 10 years, and contains specific provisions 
addressing public involvement in the establishment of recreation fees, 
including a requirement that Recreation Resource Advisory Committees or 
BLM RACs have the opportunity to make recommendations regarding 
establishment of such fees. The REA also directed the secretaries of 
the Interior and Agriculture to publish advance notice in the Federal 
Register before new recreation fee areas are established under their 
respective jurisdictions. In accordance with the BLM recreation fee 
program policy, the La Jara Field Office's Zapata Falls Campground 
recreation fee business plan is available at the La Jara Field Office 
and the BLM Colorado State Office. The business plan explains both the 
fee collection process and how the fees will be used at the campground. 
The BLM notified and involved the public at each stage of the planning 
process, including the proposal to collect fees. The BLM Colorado Front 
Range RAC has previously reviewed the fee proposal and unanimously 
recommended approval of the proposal at its January 12, 2011, meeting. 
This review did not meet the terms of the REA Review because, at the 
time, the REA review requirements were being fulfilled by the United 
States Forest Service Recreation RAC, which did not convene in time to 
review or recommend the proposal. The BLM welcomes public comments on 
this proposal. Please send comments to Sean Noonan by email at: 
[email protected].
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
advised that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time.

[[Page 72972]]

While you can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review 
your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will 
be able to do so.

     Authority:  16 U.S.C. 6803(b).

Helen M. Hankins,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-30470 Filed 11-25-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P