Army Corps Campgrounds and the budget

n7bsn wrote:

Same is true of FS, PS and BLM, their income goes to the general fund, not back into their coffers.

I don't know WHY this keeps getting repeated. It is not correct. Since about 2005, the Recreation Enhancement Act has allowed USFS, NPS, and BLM to keep 80% of funds collected at recreation sites to be used on those sites for maintenance, improvement, etc. The other 20% also stays in the recreation budget, but allows some work to be done at sites not currently under the act (sites that may not charge a fee). And for almost 10 years before that (since 1996) the Recreation Fee Demo program was in effect, that was a precursor to the Rec. Enhancement Act, to see how well the program would work at several test forests and parks.

So for 10 years, and in some cases, for almost 20 years, BLM, USFS, and NPS agencies have been able to keep their recreation fees to use for recreation purposes. If I recall correctly, the COE was not specifically mentioned in the Rec. Enhancement Act, and so their funds collected may well go back into the regular coffers, but I'm not sure.

As a USFS Recreation Program Manager (now retired), I have worked with and administered Recreation budgets for many years. Here is what the Rec. Enhancement Act states:



(1) LOCAL DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.--


(A) RETENTION OF REVENUES.--Not less than 80 percent of the recreation fees and site-specific agency pass revenues collected at a specific unit or area of a Federal land management agency shall remain available for expenditure, without further appropriation, until expended at that unit or area.

(B) REDUCTION.--The Secretary may reduce the percentage allocation otherwise applicable under subparagraph (A) to a unit or area of a Federal land management agency, but not below 60 percent, for a fiscal year if the Secretary determines that the revenues collected at the unit or area exceed the reasonable needs of the unit or area for which expenditures may be made for that fiscal year.

(2) AGENCY-WIDE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.--The balance of the recreation fees and site-specific agency pass revenues collected at a specific unit or area of a Federal land management and not distributed in accordance with paragraph (1) shall remain available to that Federal land management agency for expenditure on an agency-wide basis, without further appropriation, until expended.

(3) OTHER AMOUNTS.--Other amounts collected at other locations, including recreation fees collected by other entities or for a reservation service, shall remain available, without further appropriation, until expended in accordance with guidelines established by the Secretary.


It really bothers me when some people post information that is wildly outdated.