INDIANA– The USDA Forest Service’s Eastern Region seeks volunteer committee members to advise the agency on recreation fee changes at national forests throughout the northeastern United States.
The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) gives the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to establish, modify, charge, and collect recreation fees at Federal recreational lands. The Eastern Region reinvests those fees into improving, maintaining, and managing approximately 380 recreation fee sites. The majority of costs, approximately 80-95%, remain on the units collected and used for fee site improvements and management.
REA also requires the Secretary to establish a Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (RRAC) in each region for federal recreational lands managed by the USDA Forest Service. Recreation RACs recommend implementing or eliminating standard amenity fees, expanded amenity fees, and non-commercial individual special recreation permit fees; expanding or limiting the recreation fee program; and increasing or decreasing fee levels. Currently, the Eastern Region does not have a functioning RRAC.
The committee of 11 volunteers who serve for 2-3 years meets once or twice a year to provide recommendations on recreation fees for national forests. Members receive travel, food, and lodging costs for regularly scheduled meetings but do not receive pay or other compensation.
Candidates are being recruited to represent one of the following recreation interests:
· Summer motorized, summer non-motorized, winter motorized, winter non-motorized, and hunting and fishing.
· Motorized outfitters and guides, non-motorized outfitters and guides, and local environmental groups.
· State tourism official, a person who represents affected local government interests, and a person who represents affected American Indian tribes.
The Eastern Region RAC provides recommendations for the Forest Service and BLM on recreation fee matters in the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.
The Recreation RAC recruitment process aligns with USDA equal opportunity policies and will consider the demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.
Nomination packets and details are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r9/workingtogether/advisorycommittees or by contacting Krystal Fleeger, Regional Recreation Fees & Reservations Coordinator, by email: sm.fs.r9_rrac@usda.gov
Please submit completed nomination forms by Friday, March 1, 2024, to Forest Service Recreation RAC, Eastern Regional Office, 626 E. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202, or email sm.fs.r9_rrac@usda.gov. Letters of recommendation are welcome but not required.
