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| U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management News Release For Immediate Release: September 2, 2003 CA-CDD-03-72 Contact: Steve Razo (909) 697-5217 or Jan Bedrosian (916) 978-4616 BLM Sets Imperial Dunes Fees for 2003-2004 Season After extensive consultation with visitors, vendors and off-highway vehicle (OHV) groups who enjoy the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area in eastern Imperial County, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has set new fees for the 2003-2004 season to allow the agency to better recoup its costs of managing the popular area. While the fees for both recreation visitors and vendors at the Dunes will be higher, they are lower than recommended by an outside business consultant hired by BLM to evaluate the area’s costs and comparable fees at other popular recreation sites. The consultant and BLM gathered input from a wide variety of interests, including a local citizen’s advisory group called the Technical Review Team (TRT). Those comments and suggestions were incorporated into a recently completed business plan. Under the new fees, Dunes recreation visitors will pay $25 per week or $90 for a season pass starting October 1, 2003. The business plan recommended $30 during non-holiday weeks, $60 during holiday weeks, and $180 for a season pass. The old fee was $10 per week or $30 for a season pass. The new passes will soon be available in local shops, online, and onsite. TRT Chairman Jerry Seavers said, “We appreciate BLM taking the TRT's views into account and making adjustments in the fees that we believe are more workable and fair. The TRT will continue to work with BLM to help ensure the fee system is accountable and visible to the public. We also believe the fees should be reassessed every year to ensure actual management costs are reflected.” Vendors who sell supplies, equipment, souvenirs, etc. will also see their fees increase. BLM and the business consultant conferred with individual vendors to gather their views on how to make fees more in line with comparable market rates, but still allow small vendors to compete. The new fees will be $30 a day during non-holiday weekends, $60 a day during holiday weekends, and $25 a day during the week. Previously, they paid $25 a day for the first 20 days and $15 a day after that. The BLM also plans to reconfigure the size of the vendor areas on Gecko Road to allow for bigger operations, which means vendors previously paying for multiple areas would be provided one larger area. BLM El Centro Field Manager Greg Thomsen said the agency will also be working to increase fee compliance and asked for the OHV community’s cooperation. “We’ve heard numerous concerns from OHV organizations that the BLM needs to increase fee compliance in order to keep fees as low as possible. With everyone’s cooperation we can keep the fees lower and still provide improved facilities, law enforcement, visitor safety, and resource conservation needed at this popular area.” BLM has made no decisions on recreation fees for BLM-managed OHV areas in other parts of the California Desert. BLM is continuing its outreach and consultation efforts with users and other interests concerning these areas, including Dumont Dunes, El Mirage, Johnson Valley, Stoddard Valley, and Rasor. The final business plan is available online at www.ca.blm.gov/elcentro. Details on the fees, frequently asked questions, and more information about the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area is available online at the same site or by calling BLM’s El Centro Field Office at 760-337-4400. California Desert District Office - 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, California - (909) 697-5200 |
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| Dunes Fee Program Frequently Asked Questions 9/2/03 General Visitor Information Q – When will the new fees take effect? A – October 1, 2003 Q – Why is there a need for fee increases in the Imperial Sand Dunes? A – As funding becomes more challenging, alternate sources of funding are needed in order to maintain quality recreation experiences at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. The costs of managing the Dunes have increased substantially in the last two years. During the same time, the amount and reliability of funds to pay for these increased costs have dropped considerably. While those costs have been temporarily covered by recreation funds from other areas in California and even nationally, that cannot continue and the Dunes must become more self-sufficient. Q – What are the new fees for the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area? A – BLM has decided that beginning October 1, 2003, Dunes recreation visitors will pay $25 per week or $90 for a season pass. The new passes will soon be available in local shops, online, and onsite. While this is an increase from the existing fees of $10 per week and $30 per season, it is lower than the recommendation BLM received through the final Business Plan prepared by an independent consultant, which recommended $30 per week during non-holiday weeks, $60 per week during holiday weeks, and $180 for a season pass. Q – Isn’t management of public lands already paid for through my taxes? A – BLM manages about 261 million acres nationwide and about 15 million acres here in California. Congress generally gives the BLM enough funding to manage these lands for primitive dispersed recreation. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, Public Law 103-66, amended the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act expanding the BLM’s authority to collect recreation use fees. The amount and type of services and facilities required for intensively used areas such as the Imperial Sand Dunes far exceed the availability of federal funds, thus requiring collection of user fees. Q – Is this Business Plan a recent development? A – In 1998, an overall Business Plan was developed for the entire California Desert District. The plan called for the development of “micro-business plans” specifically analyzing future fee sites. The El Centro Field Office contracted a business consultant to develop the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Business Plan. The contractor was hired to look at all sources of income, current and future expenses, and compliance rates, then determine what the BLM needs to charge in order to recover costs. Q – How was the recreating public involved in the development of the Business Plan? A – The contractor and the BLM consulted with vendors, visitors and Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) groups, including a local citizen’s advisory group called the Technical Review Team (TRT), and incorporated their comments and suggestions into a draft Business Plan. The draft Business Plan was then reviewed by OHV groups to allow for additional comments and suggestions which were then incorporated into the final Business Plan recommendations. Q – How were these fees arrived at? A – Because BLM is not driven by profit margin objectives, it must attempt to “break even” on expenditures no longer funded through other sources and also consider prices charged by other recreation providers. The contractor for the Business Plan did conduct a Fair Market Value analysis to ensure that resulting prices were within a competitive and fair market range. Q – Has the BLM considered a “speed pass” or “Fastrak” system for collection and processing of fees? A – Such as system was suggested by the public, but it was determined that the start-up expense makes it cost prohibitive. Q – How will the BLM ensure that fee compliance increases? A – The BLM will be increasing its fee compliance enforcement efforts in the Dunes. In order to keep fees as low as possible, there must be an increase in fee compliance. If the recreating public cooperates with fee compliance, fees will remain low and the BLM can continue to provide facility maintenance, law enforcement, emergency medical services, and plant and animal habitat monitoring that is needed at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. Q - What do my fees pay for? A - After the cost of collection, all the revenues generated in the Dunes are returned to the Dunes. Many aspects of the regular operations and maintenance of the recreation area are paid for out of the fees. Specifically fees pay for law enforcement, labor and equipment, emergency medical services, labor and supplies, maintenance of the roads and facilities, trash collection, outhouse cleaning and pumping, plant and animal habitat monitoring, the construction of future camping pads and toilets. Q - Why do my fees need to pay for habitat monitoring? A – In order to keep the Dunes open for OHV recreation, the BLM will be required to maintain a very high level of resource conservation monitoring as part of our responsibilities for compliance with the Endangered Species Act. The results of these monitoring efforts will help guide future management of the Dunes. Vendor Specific Frequently Asked Questions Q – Will vendor fees also increase ? A – Yes. The BLM and the business consultant conferred with vendors and other OHV oriented businesses to gather their views on how to make fees more in line with comparable market rates, but still allow small vendors to compete. Q – What are the new vendor fees? A – The new fees will be $30 a day during non-holiday weekends, $60 a day during holiday weekends, and $25 a day during the week. Previously they paid $25 a day for the first 20 days and $15 a day after that. The new fees, which were the same as recommended in the Business Plan, will allow the BLM to break even on managing the vendor program. Q – Will vendors continue to require purchase of multiple areas to accommodate larger operations? A – The BLM plans to reconfigure the size of vendor areas on Gecko Road to allow for bigger operations, which means vendors previously paying for multiple areas would be provided one larger area. The BLM also plans to identify assigned vendor areas in Glamis, Dunebuggy Flats, and Buttercup. Q – What is the vendor policy for number of vehicles? A – The Business Plan recommended that the BLM limit vendors to three vehicles. The plan also recommended that we should charge $10 per vehicle per day if the vendor wanted to more than three vehicles. The BLM has decided not to implement this recommendation at this time. Q - What does the BLM take into consideration in regards to vending activities at the Dunes? A – Vending activities at the Dunes can contribute to the visitor’s experience by providing goods or services on site, which in turn provides for an improved recreational experience. To be consistent with commercial activity goals in the Dunes, items sold or services provided should: n Directly enhance the visitors’ experience n Not be detrimental to the health and safety of visitors, employees or nearby residents n Not detract from resource sustainability n Comply with BLM Manual requirements that vendor policies take into account the viability of nearby privately owned businesses. Q - How soon can a vendor access vendor areas after purchase of a permit? A - The BLM requires a vendor applicant to submit their paperwork to the BLM at least two weeks in advance of the first vending date. The vendor needs to have all other local, and State permits before they turn in their application to the BLM. Q – Is there a process in which a potential vendor can determine availability of a vendor area? A – There will be four long-term sites exclusively for vending on the Gecko Vending pad. The BLM does not anticipate more than four long-term vendors at this time. Vendors on the Gecko vendor pad will be allowed to reserve one of the four sites. Sites will be available on a first come, first served basis. The vendors in other locations throughout the Dunes will not have exclusive sites for the 2003-2004 season. The BLM will designate the boundaries of an assigned area for vending that all vendors will share. Q - Will vendor areas be rented on a first come first served basis ? A – Yes. Q – Why was the concept of short-term and long-term vending areas developed? A – Short and long-term vending areas were addressed in the pending Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Management Plan. The public, businesses, vendors, and the BLM identified several issues associated with vending in the Dunes that needed to be addressed. After trying to balance the needs of all parties involved, including the visitors and the BLM regulations, we felt this was the best compromise. Q – Where can I obtain more information or ask further questions? A – Further information is available online at www.ca.blm.gov/elcentro or by contacting the BLM’s El Centro Field Office at (760) 337-4400, or visiting or writing to 1661 S. 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243. |
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| But according to \"our\" representatives |
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| Q – What are the new fees for the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area? A – BLM has decided that beginning October 1, 2003, Dunes recreation visitors will pay $25 per week or $90 for a season pass. The new passes will soon be available in local shops, online, and onsite. While this is an increase from the existing fees of $10 per week and $30 per season, it is lower than the recommendation BLM received through the final Business Plan prepared by an independent consultant, which recommended $30 per week during non-holiday weeks, $60 per week during holiday weeks, and $180 for a season pass. |
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| Because BLM is not driven by profit margin objectives, it must attempt to “break even” on expenditures no longer funded through other sources and also consider prices charged by other recreation providers. |
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| If the recreating public cooperates with fee compliance, fees will remain low and the BLM can continue to provide facility maintenance, law enforcement, emergency medical services, and plant and animal habitat monitoring that is needed at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. |
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| Q - What do my fees pay for? Specifically fees pay for law enforcement, labor and equipment, emergency medical services, labor and supplies, maintenance of the roads and facilities, trash collection, outhouse cleaning and pumping, plant and animal habitat monitoring, the construction of future camping pads and toilets. |
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| In order to keep the Dunes open for OHV recreation, the BLM will be required to maintain a very high level of resource conservation monitoring as part of our responsibilities for compliance with the Endangered Species Act. The results of these monitoring efforts will help guide future management of the Dunes. |
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| To be consistent with commercial activity goals in the Dunes, items sold or services provided should: Directly enhance the visitors’ experience |
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| Comply with BLM Manual requirements that vendor policies take into account the viability of nearby privately owned businesses. |