From: Subject: FR Doc E7-12412 Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 11:04:23 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-12412.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3138 FR Doc E7-12412 
[Federal Register: June 27, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 123)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 35257-35258]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27jn07-84]                        =20

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management, Interior

[CA-190-1232-FU]

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Notice of Intent To Collect Fees on Public Land in San Benito and=20
Fresno Counties, California Under the Federal Lands Recreation=20
Enhancement Act

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Collect Fees in the Clear Creek Special=20
Recreation Management Area in San Benito and Fresno Counties,=20
California.

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SUMMARY: To meet increasing demands for service and maintenance, the=20
Bureau of Land Management intends to implement a fee collection program=20
for the Clear Creek Special Recreation Management Area in San Benito=20
and Fresno Counties, California, beginning in January 2008. The fees=20
will be based on a fixed weekly fee rate or a fixed seasonal rate, as=20
explained in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

DATES: Written comments of interested persons must be postmarked not=20
later than July 27, 2007. Collection of fees will start in January=20
2008, when notice thereof is posted in the Bureau of Land Management,=20
Hollister Field Office, and at vehicle entry areas for the Clear Creek=20
Special Recreation Management Area.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons may submit written comments to the Field=20
Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Hollister Field Office, 20 Hamilton=20
Court, Hollister, California 95023. The relevant BLM records are=20
available for review at the above address during regular business hours=20
7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Cooper, Field Manager, Hollister=20
Field Office; or George Hill, Assistant Field Manager; 20 Hamilton Ct.,=20
Hollister, CA 95023. (831) 630-5000. E-mail: Rick Cooper@blm.gov/ca.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To meet increasing demands for services and=20
maintenance of existing facilities, routes, and trails, the Bureau of=20
Land Management (BLM)'s Hollister Field Office proposes to begin=20
collecting fees January 2008 in the Clear Creek Special Recreation=20
Management Area (CCMA) in San Benito and Fresno Counties, California,=20
under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) of 2005. The=20
primary recreation opportunity in the CCMA is off-highway vehicle use;=20
however, more and more outdoor enthusiasts are engaging in other=20
recreation activities in the CCMA with less surface impact, including=20
hunting, hiking, backpacking, hang gliding, peak climbing, and rock=20
hounding. Since the area offers recreation users both motorized and=20
non-motorized recreation opportunities, the CCMA qualifies as a site=20
wherein visitors can be charged a ``Standard Amenity Recreation Fee''=20
authorized under Section 3(f) and a ``Special Recreation Permit Fee''=20
authorized under section 3(h) of the REA. After receiving support,=20
guidance, and recommendations from the Central California Resource=20
Advisory Council (RAC), the BLM California State Office, and=20
considerable public input, the BLM Hollister Field Office proposes a=20
fee structure that would consist of charging a Standard Amenity=20
Recreation (SAR) Fee of $5.00 per vehicle upon arriving at the site.=20
This SAR Fee will only apply to users who use facilities at the Clear=20
Creek Management Area and not for members of the public passing through=20
the CCMA. For those visitors who would be participating in OHV use=20
(e.g. ATVs, motorcycles, quads, dune

[[Page 35258]]

buggies), a Special Recreation Permit Fee (SRP) of $10.00 per OHV would=20
be charged upon arriving at the site. Both the SAR and SRP fees would=20
be good for a weekly pass covering a period from Wednesday through=20
Tuesday regardless of day of purchase. An SRP season pass in the amount=20
of $80.00 would also be available for purchase.
    BLM plans to seek review and a recommendation from the Pacific=20
Southwest Region Resources Advisory Committee being established under=20
the authority of the REA. The CCMA is a popular off-highway vehicle=20
(OHV) recreation area and also offers excellent opportunities for=20
hunting, hang gliding, rock hounding, hiking, backpacking, and peak=20
climbing activities. The CCMA qualifies as an area where fees can be=20
charged based on the significant opportunities for outdoor recreation,=20
substantial Federal investment, the ability to collect fees=20
efficiently, has designated developed parking, permanent toilets,=20
permanent trash receptacles, interpretive signs, picnic tables, and=20
security. The BLM's commitment is to find the proper balance between=20
public use and the protection of sensitive resources. It is BLM's=20
policy to ``collect fees at all specialized recreation sites, or where=20
the BLM provides facilities, equipment or services, at federal expense,=20
in connection with outdoor recreation use.'' The Clear Creek Special=20
Recreation Management Area Fee Collection Project is intended to=20
provide funding to maintain existing facilities and recreational=20
opportunities, to provide for law enforcement presence, to develop=20
additional services, and to protect unique and sensitive resources in=20
the area.
    The rationale for charging recreation fees was established in the=20
Clear Creek Special Recreation Management Area Business Plan and in a=20
manner consistent with the following criteria: (1) The amount of the=20
recreation fee shall be commensurate with the benefits and services=20
provided to the visitor; (2) The aggregate effect of recreation fees on=20
recreation users and recreation service providers were considered; (3)=20
Comparable fees charged elsewhere and by other public agencies and by=20
nearby private sector operators were considered; (4) Public policy or=20
management objectives served by the recreation fee were considered; (5)=20
Recommendations and guidelines regarding initiating fee sites from the=20
Central California Resource Advisory Council (RAC) was considered and=20
incorporated into the Business Plan; and (6) Other factors or criteria=20
as determined by the Secretary were considered.
    The public has been notified and heavily involved since the=20
inception of the idea to collect fees in the CCMA. The RAC; government=20
officials; tribal, Federal, State, county, and local government=20
agencies; environmentalists, recreationists, private in-holders and=20
right-of-way holders have been notified of the Hollister Field Office's=20
proposal to collect fees in the CCMA through direct mailings,=20
bulletins, fee brochures, public meetings, and on-site information and=20
public contact. The Clear Creek Management Area Resource Management=20
Plan Amendment and Route Designation Record of Decision was issued=20
January 2006 and allows for recreation opportunities and the charging=20
of fees for use.
    All recreation fee receipts would be retained at the site. Of this=20
amount, at least 85% would be used for repair and maintenance projects,=20
interpretation, signage, habitat or facility enhancement, resource=20
preservation, maintenance, law enforcement directly related to=20
recreation use, support volunteer projects, Challenge Cost Share=20
projects, and similar partnership authorities directly relating to=20
visitor enjoyment, visitor access, and health and safety at recreation=20
fee projects. The Hollister Field Office would not use more than 15% of=20
total fees collected for administration, overhead, and indirect costs=20
related to the recreation fee program except in the case of SRPs where=20
this amount can not be exceeded for overhead and indirect costs=20
relating to issuing and administering the SRP.
    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address or=20
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be=20
aware that your entire comment including your personal identifying=20
information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can=20
ask in your comment to withhold from public review your personal=20
identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do=20
so.

(Authority: 43 CFR 1824.10)

    Dated: June 20, 2007.
Rick Cooper,
Field Manager, Hollister Field Office.
 [FR Doc. E7-12412 Filed 6-26-07; 8:45 am]

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