§100904 Admission and Special Recreation Use Fees

Summary

The Secretary must keep 100% of fees collected for any park unit where deed rules stop charging entrance fees. Those money must stay available to that same park without needing more approval. The funds can be used to make visitor visits better, protect resources, fix and maintain things, add signs and interpretation, improve habitat or facilities, run the park (including collecting fees), and support law enforcement. Each year, 10% of the money given to the Director is split by need. Of the rest, 40% is split among parks based on each park’s prior-year operating costs, and 50% is split based on how much each park collected in fees the prior year. Any money given to a park but not spent in that year can still be used there later. Volunteers can sell permits and collect fees if the Secretary allows it and gives them training. Volunteers must have a surety bond; fund money can pay for that. The Secretary can also let public or private groups sell annual passes, but they must pay the government before getting the passes. If the Service provides transport to view a park, the Director can charge for that instead of an admission fee. Half of that charge stays with the park; half is handled like other fee money. Of the half kept by the park, half must pay for maintaining transport systems and half must protect park resources. If a concessioner is the main way the public gets into a park, any admission fee plus the concessioner’s fee must not be more than the maximum admission fee allowed. For parks that charge admission, the Secretary must set a commercial tour fee of $25 per vehicle with 25 seats or less and $50 per vehicle with more than 25 seats. Those fees can be adjusted. School trips and vehicles under certain contracts are not charged. The same commercial tour rules also cover certain aircraft flights over specified Haleakala locations and Grand Canyon, and other places if the Secretary finds the tour service level is similar.