Automatic Adjustment of Minimum Special Recreation Permit (SRP) Fees and Assigned Site Fees

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
www.blm.gov

April 7, 2008

In Reply Refer To:
2930 (250) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 04/16/2008
Instruction Memorandum No. 2008-106
Expires: 09/30/2009

To: All Washington Office and Field Office Officials

From: Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning

Subject: Automatic Adjustment of Minimum Special Recreation Permit (SRP) Fees and
Assigned Site Fees

Program Area: Recreation and Visitor Services.

Purpose: The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is to establish the minimum commercial, competitive and organized group SRP fees, and the minimum assigned site fee for the three-year period beginning April 1, 2008. These fees constitute the Director’s minimum fee schedule.

Background: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in concert with the U.S. Forest Service, automatically adjusts the minimum commercial, competitive and organized group SRP fees and the minimum assigned site fee every three years. The automatic three-year fee adjustment policy was published on October 19, 1989 (54 FR 42998). The current three-year fee adjustment is due March, 2008. Individual states also have the option of imposing application fees and/or establishing higher minimum fees for SRPs.

The minimum SRP and assigned site fees are recalculated using the fees for the year 1993 as a base, and compounding them annually using the Gross National Product (GNP) Implicit Price Deflator Index. The minimum SRP fee and assigned site fee are rounded to the nearest $5. The “per person per day” fee for organized groups and competitive events is rounded to the nearest $1.

Policy/Action: According to theGNP Implicit Price Deflator Index formula, the following minimum SRP and assigned site fees will take effect on April 1, 2008:

The BLM’s minimal annual SRP fee, will increase $5 dollars to $95.
The minimum assigned site fee will increase $10, raising the fee from $180 to $190. The assigned site fee is for exclusive commercial use of a site. Assigned site for a commercial use does not preclude public use of the site.
The “per person per day” fee for competitive and organized group SRPs will increase $1 to $5 per person, per day.
The BLM Field Offices will use April 1, 2008, as the effective date for the new minimum fees, and adjust their billing statements according to their calendar or fiscal year time frames. All permits issued prior to April 1, 2008, with an effective duration extending beyond that date must contain the new provision. Field Offices must insert this provision in all new permits meeting these criteria, and amend all existing permits extending beyond April 1, 2008, to include the new fee (Attachment 1).

Time Frame: The new fee schedule is effective April 1, 2008, and remains in effect until the triennial review in March 2011.

Budget Impact: Little to no impact to the budget will occur.

Manual/Handbook: This change has no affect on the applicable BLM manuals or handbooks. This IM updates the Director’s Fee Schedule contained in Handbook H-2930-1, Recreation Permit Administration, Appendix A-1 (National Recreation Fee Schedule).

Coordination: The fee adjustment was coordinated with the U.S. Forest Service.

Contact: If you have any questions concerning this IM, please contact Bob Ratcliffe, Division Chief, Division of Recreation and Visitor Services, (202) 452-5040 or Anthony Bobo, Jr., Recreation Fee Program Manager, (202) 452-0333.

Signed by: Authenticated by:
Edwin L. Robertson Robert M. Williams
Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-560
Renewable Resources and Planning

1 Attachment
1- National Special Recreation Permit Fee Schedule (1 p)