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General Revenue Concerns

Where does the money collected from fees go?

Through REA, 95% of all fees collected will be retained for operation, maintenance, and enhancement of the recreation sites and areas where the money was collected. Expenditure details are developed in the business plan for each area and reported in the annual report.

Funds from fees have bought portable toilets and trash bins eliminating rental costs, visitor information signs, cleaning supplies, and maintenance supplies.  They help pay to have toilets pumped, rent on additional trash bins, and for trash service.  Fees have paid salaries for two river rangers to provide visitor services, maintain signs, organize river clean-up events, and patrol the river corridor. Fees help pay the salaries for employees to clean restrooms, remove graffiti, pick up trash, repair wore out and vandalized facilities, and check for compliance.

Can you give us an idea about what it costs to maintain/administer the different sites?

Yes, program managers are researching and preparing numbers to use in the preparation of business plans for each proposed new fee area.  The forest will carefully analyze the estimated costs associated with operating, maintaining, and enhancing these areas.  The public will be involved in helping to develop these business plans.

In the business plan for the existing Lake Isabella HIRA (Auxiliary Dam, Old Isabella Road, and South Fork Recreation Area) the operation and maintenance expenditures are equal to $116,047 per year with a backlog of $249,163 in deferred maintenance.  The expenditures are $35,245 for permanent employees, $29,507 for temporary employees, $25,000 materials and supplies, and $26,286 for contracted costs such as toilet and septic tank pumping and trash service.  Other staffing from the Department of Labor SCSEP (seniors) program and Volunteers are valued at an estimated value of $5,200.

In Fiscal Year 2007 REA revenues covered approximately 23% of the annual operations and maintenance costs associated with the HIRA. The appropriated recreation budget was expected to cover the balance.

What improvements have been made using present fees? 

Reduction of services and amenities and gate closingLower Forest Service operates campgrounds at Troy Meadow, Fish Creek, Horse Meadow, lower peppermint, and Kennedy Meadows. These campgrounds are in remote areas miles away from work centers and full service communities. People that prefer these sites enjoy the un-crowded and rustic atmosphere.  Fees help pay for the maintenance of existing signing, vault toilet buildings, picnic tables, drinking water systems, and campfire rings. Without the fee revenue amenities and services would have to be scaled back, and the recreation season would have to be shortened to reduce costs, closing gates.

Recreation fees have helped support annual operation and maintenance of Auxiliary Dam, Old Isabella Road, and South Fork Recreation Area commonly referred to as the Lake Isabella High Impact Recreation Area.  Recreation fees have also bought portable toilets to reduce the expense of renting them. Fees have paid for graffiti removal, litter abatement, cleaning supplies, fixing vandalized toilets, sinks and water hydrants. 2 additional persons on the ground.

The fees collected from the Forks of the Kern for the annual drawing offset some of the expenses of providing the drawing.

The recreation fees collected from the outfitter and guide special use permits have paid salaries for 2 river rangers each year to patrol the river making visitor contacts, organizing river cleanup events, and providing routine river corridor maintenance such as trimming limbs. They also rehabilitate dispersed camping sites, maintain visitor information stations and river manifest stations, remove graffiti, and provide river safety information. Fees have purchased trash dumpsters and portable toilets to reduce costs associated with renting as well as paid for contracting cost for pumping services and trash pickup.

Camp 9: 30 stoves, 3 group size fire rings, and installing large12 x 12 shade shelter, improve 3 group camp sites: expand water system, cut center out of paved circle and plant boxed (large) trees. Planted trees and added irrigation system.

All REA related accomplishments can be found in the Sequoia National Forest Recreation Fee Program Pacific Southwest Region Annual Accomplishment Reports and in the triennial National Annual Reports. These can be found on the website: www.fs.fed.us/r5/rec-fee/2006accomplishments/sequoia.php   

Is the Sequoia National Forest in compliance with the Recreation Enhancement Act as written?

Yes. The Sequoia National Forest has been examined and reviewed at multiple levels for compliance and has accomplished all mandatory accounting processes.

Can the fines collected for littering or failure to pay a fee be returned to the Forest Service? 

No. Fines are paid to the Central Violation Bureau and transferred to the Department of the Treasury General Fund. These funds are not returned to the Forest.
In 2008 the Sequoia National Forest will begin implementing a program of enforcement utilizing a Notice of Non-compliance. With this notice the person that has not paid the fee will get this notice and be given the opportunity to pay the fee before a citation is issued. This way the fees come back to the unit to use to improve the recreation experience at the facility.

Has the Sequoia National Forest complied with all required accounting procedures?

Financial accounting is accomplished agency-wide through the Albuquerque Service Center and agency wide financial reports are provided to all units on a monthly basis.  REA accounts are lumped in with all other finances in the reports provided. 

REA is a nationwide program and reporting procedures are established at a national level with detailed instructions to each forest. Congress required that all agencies report every three years on REA accomplishments.  The Forest Service collects REA revenue and expenditure data on an annual basis but only produces reports every 3 years. This report is combined with the National Parks Service, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Corps of Engineers.  A final report is submitted to Congress.

The Sequoia National Forest provides the following required annual reports to the regional office:

• The total revenue collected from REA sites broken out into 3 areas:  Recreation Fees (includes campgrounds, recreation rentals, Hume Lake/NPS fee agreement, Lake Isabella HIRA, and the Forks of the Kern application fee for the permit drawing), Special Use Permits which includes all outfitters and guides (whitewater rafting, fishing, hunting, mountain biking, climbing, hiking, kayaking, pack stations, etc.) and Special Recreation Events (fishing tournaments, kayak competitions, etc.), and Interagency Pass Sales. 
• The total amount paid out of recreation fee receipts for expenses.
• The percent of expenses paid out of the fee receipts fund broken down into six eligible areas of expenditures (visitor services, habitat restoration, repair, maintenance, & facility enhancement, fee management agreements, law enforcement, and cost of collections).
• A narrative summary of REA accomplishments,
• An accounting of Interagency Passes sold and current inventory of unsold passes.

How is the accounting different in REA from Fee Demonstration?

The Recreation Fee Demonstration Program (1996 to 2004) was a demonstration program that provided the opportunity to test various recreation use fees.  During the Fee Demo period forests were allowed to establish multiple job codes which allowed for collecting much more detailed accounting information. 

Under Fee Demo the Sequoia had separate projects - Campgrounds, Golden Passes, Kern River Outfitter and Guides, Private Boater Permit, Lake Isabella (now the HIRA), and Hume Lake special fee agreement.  The multiple job codes allowed the forest to track these project’s revenues and expenses in great detail. 

Under REA the Sequoia has three program areas -

• Recreation (includes campgrounds, Lake Isabella HIRA, Hume Lake special fee agreement, Private Boater Permit, and the recreation rental program)
• Recreation Special Uses (includes the Kern River Whitewater Outfitter Guides and Recreation Event permits). 
• Federal National Parks and Federal Lands Interagency Passes (Annual, Senior, and Access Passes)

Can all the fees be combined into one fee including the boating permit fee?

The current Lake Isabella boating permit fee is collected and retained by Kern County.  This fee is retained by the County to manage the "on lake" services and does not currently provide any financial support for shoreline or boat launching facilities.  While it is possible to consider a combination fee approach to Lake Isabella, it will require quite a bit of work to implement.  This proposal would hinge on the success of discussions with Kern County and the feasibility of developing an agreement or partnership addressing the revenue collection and distribution issues.  The forest will consider your suggestion.

Is there a way to track the fees collected at particular sites within the Sequoia National Forest?

The agency uses a centralized accounting system with limited cost accounting abilities.  Each transaction is recorded and available in financial reports and can be identified to the forest level.  It is very difficult to impossible to track each expenditure to a specific forest recreation site  because contracts for pumping toilets or removing trash cover more than one area.

To answer more detailed questions from the public, the Sequoia National Forest has purchased an additional accounting program in 2008 call CASH (Collection and Sales Handling Program).  This program is expected to be up and running shortly so that detailed questions regarding fees at individual sites can be answered quickly and efficiently.

Can the public be consulted on how the fees are spent?

Yes, the Sequoia National Forest does consider input from the public on how recreation fee revenue is spent.  Each year an annual report is prepared to inform the public how the fee receipts were used to maintain or improve the recreation experience in each fee area.

Who serves on the current California Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (RRAC)?

Recreation RAC Members & Roles

Marlene Finley - Designated Federal Official (non-voting)
Mike Pool - BLM ex Officio (non-voting)

Category 1

Five people who represent recreation users and that include, as appropriate, winter motorized recreation, winter non-motorized recreation, summer motorized recreation, summer non-motorized recreation, hunting and fishing.
Monte Hendricks - Winter Non-motorized Recreation
Donald Klusman - Summer Motorized Recreation
Christine Oberti - Winter Motorized Recreation
Linda McMillan - Summer Non-motorized Recreation
Richard Dasmann - Hunting and Fishing

Category 2

Three people who represent, as appropriate, motorized outfitters and guides, non-motorized outfitters and guides, local environmental groups.
Nathan Rangel - Non-Motorized Outfitters and Guides
Paul McFarland - Local Environmental Groups
Patricia Gatz - Local Environmental Groups

Category 3

Three people who are, state tourism official representing the state, representing the perspective of Indian Tribes, a representative of affected local government interests.
Bob Warren - State Tourism
Charles Wilson - Tribal
Danna Stroud - Local Government

For more information on the RRAC please visit the website: www.fs.fed.us/r5/passes/rrac/

Why does the public have to pay?

The federal appropriated budget that comes to the Sequoia National Forest helps pay for some of the recreational facilities and services provided but there is a shortfall.  Recreation user fees are one tool that can help address some of the funding shortfall and provide for operation, maintenance, and enhancement of recreation facilities. 
The Southern Sierra Pass program provides an opportunity for individuals to play a direct and supportive role in caring for the lands they use and enjoy; to make a small investment to help ensure a bright future for public lands on the Sequoia National Forest.

How much do you collect from outfitter/guides?

This amount changes every year related to environmental conditions and how well these private businesses do that year.  The fees collected from outfitter guides are 3% of their total gross or a percentage calculated from the number of days they operate according to their permit.

Whitewater Outfitter/Guide Receipts

What has the public requested that fees be spent on?

Public input has identified the following list of items: 
Fish cleaning stations
More trash service
More enforcement
More signs
Wheelchair access to the shoreline
More accessible port-a-potties
Enforcement of the 14 day camping limit
More Forest Service presence
Grade roads
More tables

If you have a fishing license, do you have the right to go fishing in a fee area without an additional fee?

No. From FLREA, Section 3-Recreation Fee Authority, (d) Limitations on Recreation Fees, (1)Prohibitions, (1)For any person who has a right of access for hunting or fishing privileges under a specific provision of law or treaty.

This prohibition refers to someone with rights of access for hunting and fishing under a law or treaty and specifically addresses indigenous peoples rights to access public lands to fish and hunt without paying a fee, not someone who has purchased a government issued (i.e. State of California) fishing or hunting license. 

If you do not use the 6 amenities are you still required to pay the fee?

Yes. FLREA authorizes a standard amenity fee be charged in an area that provides significant opportunities for outdoor recreation, has substantial federal investments, where fees can be efficiently collected, and where all six amenities (designated developed parking, permanent toilet, trash, interpretation, picnic tables and security) are provided. A person recreating within such a fee area (including fishing and hunting) is required to pay a fee regardless of whether they actually make use of the six amenities provided.

What is a High Impact Recreation Area (HIRA)?

High Impact Recreation Areas are authorized under Section 3(f) of the legislation. This section defines "Standard Amenity Recreation Fees" and states that such fees can be collected in an area that provides significant opportunities for outdoor recreation and has substantial Federal investments. The agency must be able to collect fees efficiently in the area, and the area as a whole must contain the following amenities:

• Designated developed parking
• Permanent toilet facility
• Permanent trash receptacle
• An interpretive sign, exhibit, or kiosk
• Picnic tables
• Security services

The legislation gave the agencies broad authority in establishing "areas", so the Forest Service developed implementation guidelines to ensure national consistency. Under the guidelines, "areas" may only be established where there is high recreation use. The use, and associated impacts, may be uneven through out the greater "area", and need not be tied to specific sites within the area. In order to avoid multiple fees, the fee charged is for the recreation use of the entire area rather than for individual amenities or activities. The evidence of having paid the fee is the proper display of the Southern Sierra Pass or a National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands Passupon the parked vehicle.
The prohibition on collection of fees in dispersed recreation areas contained in Section 3(d) has led some to believe that fees are only authorized in specific developed sites. This is incorrect. The prohibition applies only to dispersed areas with low or no investment. Collection of fees in areas where significant federal investment is needed to address impacts is specifically authorized as a Standard Amenity Fee in Section 3(f).
In identifying the HIRAs, managers of National Forests carefully evaluated each area within the forest to determine the locations where significant public use is occurring and where significant investment is needed to manage recreation impacts. Each location was then further evaluated to ensure that the area had the six amenities required by the legislation, and that the area could be understandably described with clearly identified boundaries and access points.

What about Refunds, Exchanges or Extensions?

The general policy is that there are NO refunds, exchanges or extensions given for Southern Sierra Passes. Each Line Officer may evaluate individual circumstances. For instance, if a pass has been severely damaged it may be replaced with a new pass if the line officer believes they can distinguish the validity of that pass.

On rare occasions, the Forest Supervisors may decide to offer a short-term "general" refund or extension program.

Refunds are not usually given for National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands Pass.

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