From the Prescott National Forest. ----------------- Prescott National Forest Proposes New Recreation Fee At Eagle Ridge Group Campground PRESCOTT, AZ (August 9, 2013) -The Prescott National Forest is interested in hearing your comments on a proposal to establish a recreation fee at Eagle Ridge Group Campground. The proposed fee schedule at Eagle Ridge Group Campground is as follows: • Peregrine site (parties of up to 25 persons): $ 50/night proposed fee • Osprey site (parties of up to 50 persons): $ 75/night proposed fee • Osprey site (parties of up to 75 persons): $125/night proposed fee The new fee proposal was posted in the Federal Register on August 7, 2013. New fees are proposed to begin in April 2014. These fees are comparable to fees charged at other Group Campgrounds on the Prescott National Forest (i.e. Playground, Turney Gulch, and Upper Wolf Creek group campgrounds) where fees range from $75-$150 based on the group size. Eagle Ridge Group Campground was constructed in order to replace Granite Group Campground—a group site that was closed in October 2010. Although a recreation fee had not been established, the newly constructed Group Campground opened in July, 2011 due to public demand. Operating the site without fee revenue is not sustainable to maintain long-term operations and adequately serve Forest visitors. In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act which allows the Forest Service to keep 95 percent of fees collected at certain recreation sites and use these funds locally to operate, maintain, and improve sites such as Eagle Ridge Group Campground. This site can be reserved through the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) which continues to alert customers that recreation fees are anticipated at this campground. These alerts on the NRRS have prompted some inquiry which has been neutral or supportive of establishing recreation fees. People wanting to reserve Peregrine or Osprey sites located within the Eagle Ridge Group Campground can make reservations by phone at (877) 444-6777 or online at recreation.gov. The NRRS collects a $9.00 reservation charge for internet reservations and $10 charge for phone reservations. All new fee proposals will be presented before a citizen’s advisory committee, called the Bureau of Land Management Arizona Recreation Resource Advisory Council (RRAC). Council members represent a broad array of recreation interest groups and ensure public issues and concerns about recreation fees are considered. The public is welcome to attend and comment at all advisory council meetings. The next BLM Arizona RRAC meeting is expected to be held in the fall of 2013, the exact meeting time, location and agenda will be announced on blm.gov/az/st/en/res/rac.html and through local media. For more information, questions or comments about the above proposal, please contact Susan Johnson, West Zone Recreation Program Manager at (928) 443-8075 or email: [email protected]. Please submit any comments by October 31, 2013 so comments can be compiled, analyzed, and shared with the RRAC during the fall 2013 meeting. -END-
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 17:59:08 +0000
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