Projects & Plans
Recreation Enhancement Act (REA)
More and more people recreate on national forests and grasslands every year. Meeting the increasing needs of these visitors, delivering quality recreation, heritage and wilderness opportunities, and protecting natural resources has become challenging.
What Is The Act?
The previous Recreation Fee Demonstration program was enacted by Congress in 1996. In December 2004, Congress passed the Recreation Enhancement Act, which gave federal agencies a long-term, multi-agency recreation fee program. Recreation fees provide crucial resources that allow the federal agencies to respond to increased demand on federal lands. The goal is to provide visitors with a quality recreation experience through enhanced facilities and services.
Among other benefits, the Act allows 95% of the fees to be reinvested back
to the site of collection to operate, maintain, and improve the facilities and programs at the recreation sites. With the demand for recreation opportunities increasing each year and federal funding decreasing, user fees collected under the Recreation Enhancement Act have become an important funding source to help operate and maintain forest recreation sites.
Types of Fees
The Act enables Forests and Grasslands to have three types of fees called Standard, Expanded and Special Recreation Permits.
- Standard fees are typical day use fees. Sites or areas must have specific features and amenities in order to qualify as a fee site.
- Expanded fees are fees that provide direct benefits to individuals or groups. They include things like developed campgrounds, cabin rentals, highly developed boat docks and swimming areas. They may also include services like hookups, dump stations, special tours and reservations services.
- Special Recreation Permits are for areas where natural and cultural resources need protection or where extra measures are required for the health and safety of visitors. Permits may be required for places like wilderness areas, shooting ranges and specialized trail systems.
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