Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
WHEREAS it is desirable that all American people of present and future generations be assured adequate outdoor recreation resources, and it is desirable for all levels of government and private interests to take prompt and coordinated action to the extent practicable without diminishing or affecting their respective powers and functions to conserve, develop, and utilize such resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people; and WHEREAS these resources are to a considerable extent located on lands administered by the Federal Government through the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Forest Service, the Corps of Engineers, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (United States and Mexico); and WHEREAS the Act of May 28, 1963, 77 Stat. 49, vested the Secretary of the Interior with legal authority to promote coordination of Federal plans and activities generally relating to outdoor recreation; and WHEREAS it is fair and equitable that the users of certain recreation areas and facilities managed by such agencies pay a reasonable fee for the recreation benefits received; and WHEREAS it is desirable to establish uniformity of practices among such Federal agencies regarding recreation user fees and related matters; and WHEREAS the Congress, recognizing the need for urgent and effective action in this regard, enacted the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, Public Law 88-578; 78 Stat. 897 (hereafter in this order referred to as "the Act"): NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Act, by Section 301 of Title 3 of the United States Code, and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows: Section 1. Designation of areas for 1965. (a) All areas administered by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Bureau of Reclamation, Forest Service, Corps of Engineers, Tennessee Valley Authority, and the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (United States and Mexico), at which entrance, admission, or other recreation user fees (hereafter in this order referred to as "recreation user fees") were collected directly by those Federal agencies during any part of 1964 are hereby designated, pursuant to Section 2(a) of the Act, as areas at which recreation user fees shall be charged during 1965. (b) The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Defense, the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Commissioner, United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (United States and Mexico), or their designees, shall, by April 1,1965, designate any additional areas under their respective jurisdictions at which recreation user fees are to be charged during 1965. (c) Recreation user fees for such areas shall be prescribed as provided in Section 5 of this Order. Sec. 2. Designation of areas for years after 1965. (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, the areas designated by Section 1(a), or pursuant to Section 1(b), of this Order are hereby designated as areas for which recreation user fees shall be charged for years after 1965., (b) The officials described in Section 1 (b) of this Order shall, before January 1,1966, and at least annually thereafter, review all areas then under their respective jurisdictions, including those described in subsection (a) of this section, to determine (1) whether any additional areas should, in accordance with the designation criteria prescribed by Section 3 of this Order (or under those designation criteria as revised by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to Section 6(c) of this Order), be designated as areas for which recreation user fees shall be charged, or (2) whether the recreation user fee for any area theretofore designated should be increased, reduced, or eliminated under the designation criteria then in effect. (c) (1) Whenever, in accordance with subsection (b) of this section, it is determined that the recreation user fee for an area should be reduced or eliminated, such action shall be taken forthwith. (2) Whenever, in accordance with subsection (b) of this section, it is determined that a recreation user fee should be charged with respect to an area with respect to which no such fee has theretofore been charged, such new fee shall be charged only after the posting requirements of Section 4 of this Order have been satisfied. Sec. 3. Criteria for designation of areas, (a) Areas shall, in accordance with Section 1(b) and Section 2(b) of this Order and to the extent permitted by the Act, be designated as areas at which recreation user fees shall be charged if the following conditions are found to exist concurrently: (1) The area is administered by any of the eight agencies specified in Section 1(a) of this Order; (2) The area is administered primarily for scenic, scientific, historical, cultural, or recreational purposes; (3) The area has recreation facilities or services provided at Federal expense; and (4) The nature of the area is such that fee collection is administratively and economically practical. (b) Areas designated as those at which recreation user fees shall be charged shall hereafter in this Order be referred to as "designated areas." Sec. 4. Posting of designated areas, The heads of administering agencies and departments shall provide for the posting of signs at all designated areas such as will clearly notify the visiting public that recreation user fees are charged therein. All areas designated pursuant to Sections 1 and 2 of this Order shall be so posted prior to the beginning of the recreation season or as soon as practicable following designation. No recreation user fee established pursuant to this Order shall be effective with respect to any designated area until that designated area has been posted. Sec. 5. Establishment of fees, (a) Each official described in Section 1 (b) of this Order shall, subject to the criteria prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, establish a recreation user fee for each designated area administered under his jurisdiction by selecting from a schedule of fees, prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to Section 6 of this Order, the fee which is appropriate for each such designated area under criteria prescribed by the Secretary pursuant to that section. Each such official shall also specify which designated areas shall be excluded from the coverage of the annual fee described in Section 2(a)(1) of the Act and which, as a result of that exclusion will be subject to the fee described in Section 2(a) (iii) of the Act. The range of recreation user fees to be charged and the criteria for their selection shall be established under the procedures prescribed by Section 6 of this Order. (b) The Secretary of the Interior shall prescribe the procedures for the production, distribution, and sale of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Sticker, which shall be issued to those individuals who elect to pay the annual fee. The Secretary of the Interior shall also prescribe the manner in which the Sticker shall be displayed. The conditions under which it may be used shall be determined under the procedures prescribed by Section 6 of this Order. Sec. 6. Coordination, (a) The Secretary of the Interior shall, after consultation with the heads of other affected departments and agencies, adopt such coordination measures as are necessary to carry out the purposes of Sections 2(a) and 4(a) of the Act and the provisions of this Order. (b) (1) In order that the purposes of the Act and of this Order may be effectuated without delay, the Secretary of the Interior shall, subject to the limitations imposed by the Act and without regard to the other provisions of this section, forthwith issue a schedule of recreation user fees and criteria to be used in determining which such fees shall be charged with respect to each of the designated areas. (2) Subject to the limitations imposed by the Act and subject to the provisions of subsections (a), (c), and (d) of this section, the Secretary of the Interior may, from time to time, amend or replace the schedule of fees and the criteria prescribed by him pursuant to subsection (b) (1) of this section. (c) Subject to the limits set forth in the Act, the measures which the Secretary of the Interior may adopt pursuant to subsection (a) of this section may include, but are not limited to, the following— (1) Initial preparation and coordination of the comprehensive statement of estimated requirements during the ensuing fiscal year for appropriations from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, as required by Section 4(a) of the Act. (2) Development of such additional procedures and interpretive materials as are necessary to facilitate the implementation of this Order and related provisions of the Act. (3) Review and revision, if needed, of the criteria for designation set forth in Section 3 of this Order. (d) Except with respect to the schedule of fees and the criteria prescribed by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of this section, measures and regulations adopted by the Secretary pursuant to this Order shall not become effective until 30 days after they are presented for the consideration of the other officials described in Section 1(b). Any such official who does not concur in any such measure or regulation may, within that 30-day period, refer the matter to the Recreation Advisory Council established under Executive Order No. 11017 for resolution. If a proposed measure is referred to the Council for resolution, it shall not become effective until approved by the Council. With the approval of all other officials described in Section 1 (b) of this Order, the provisions of this subsection may be waived with respect to any specific measure or regulation adopted, by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to this order so that any such measure or regulation may be made effective before the expiration of the 30-day waiting period prescribed by the first sentence of this subsection. Sec. 7. Review of contracts. The officials described in Section 1(b) of this Order shall, within a reasonable time, review all existing contracts and other arrangements between their respective agencies and any non-Federal public entity which relate to non-Federal management of Federally-owned outdoor recreation areas. Special attention shall be given to any provision in any such contract or other arrangement which prohibits or discourages in any way such non-Federal public entity from charging recreation user fees. Unless otherwise prohibited by law, each such restrictive provision shall be the subject of renegotiation designed to accomplish a modification thereof that will permit the charging of recreation user fees. Sec. 8. Regulations. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry out his functions under this Order. LYNDON B. JOHNSON The White House, February 26, 1965.