Fees for occupancy and use of National Forest System lands and facilities by organizational camps

Source Credit

(a) Land use fee
(1) Percentage of land value
The Secretary shall charge an annual land use fee for each organizational camp for its occupancy and use of National Forest System lands equal to 5 percent of the product of the following:
(A) The total number of acres of National Forest System lands authorized for the organizational camp.
(B) The estimated per-acre market value of land and buildings in the county where the camp is located, as reported in the most recent Census of Agriculture conducted by the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
(2) Annual adjustment
The land use fee determined under paragraph (1) for an organizational camp shall be adjusted annually by the annual compounded rate of change between the two most recent Censuses of Agriculture.
(3) Reduction in fees
(A) Type of participants
The Secretary shall reduce the land use fee determined under paragraph (1) proportionate to the number of individuals with a disability and children at risk who annually attend the organizational camp.
(B) Type of programs
After making the reduction required by subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall reduce the remaining land use fee amount by up to 60 percent, proportionate to the number of persons who annually attend the organizational camp who participate in youth programs through organized and supervised social, citizenship, character-building, or faith-based activities oriented to outdoor-recreation experiences.
(C) Relation to minimum fee
The reductions made under this paragraph may not reduce the land use fee for an organizational camp below the minimum land use fee required to be charged under paragraph (4).
(D) Special considerations
For purposes of determining the amount of the land use fee reduction required under subparagraph (A) or (B), the Secretary may not take into consideration the existence of sponsorships or scholarships to assist persons in attending the organizational camp.
(4) Minimum land use fee
The Secretary shall charge a minimum land use fee under paragraph (1) that represents, on average, the Secretary's cost annually to administer an organizational camp special use authorization in the National Forest Region in which the organizational camp is located. Notwithstanding paragraph (3) or subsection (d), the minimum land use fee shall not be subject to a reduction or waiver.
(b) Facility use fee
(1) Percentage of facilities value
If an organizational camp uses a Government-owned facility on National Forest System lands pursuant to section 580d of this title, the Secretary shall charge, in addition to the land use fee imposed under subsection (a), a facility use fee equal to 5 percent of the value of the authorized facilities, as determined by the Secretary.
(2) Reduction in fees prohibited
Notwithstanding subsection (d), the facility use fees determined under paragraph (1) shall not be subject to a reduction or waiver.
(c) Fee related to receipt of other revenues
If an organizational camp derives revenue from the use of National Forest System lands or authorized facilities described in subsection (b) for purposes other than to introduce young people or individuals with a disability to activities that they may not otherwise experience and to educate them on natural resource issues, the Secretary shall charge, in addition to the land use fee imposed under subsection (a) and the facility use fee imposed under subsection (b), an additional fee equal to 5 percent of that revenue.
(d) Work-in-lieu program
Subject to subsections (a)(4) and (b)(2), section 539f of this title shall apply to the use fees imposed under this section.

History

(Pub. L. 108–7, div. F, title V, §503, Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 295.)