[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 36, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 36CFR251.57]

[Page 320-321]
 
              TITLE 36--PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY
 
          CHAPTER II--FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 251_LAND USES--Table of Contents
 
                         Subpart B_Special Uses
 
Sec. 251.57  Rental fees.

    (a) Except as otherwise provided in this part or when specifically 
authorized by the Secretary of Agriculture, special use authorizations 
shall require the payment in advance of an annual rental fee as 
determined by the authorized officer.
    (1) The fee shall be based on the fair market value of the rights 
and privileges authorized, as determined by appraisal or other sound 
business management principles.
    (2) Where annual fees of one hundred dollars ($100) or less are 
assessed, the authorized officer may require either annual payment or a 
payment covering more than one year at a time. If the annual fee is 
greater than one hundred dollars ($100), holders who are private 
individuals (that is, acting in an individual capacity), as opposed to 
those who are commercial, other corporate, or business or government 
entities, may, at their option, elect to make either annual payments or 
payments covering more than one year.
    (3) A base cabin user fee for a recreation residence use shall be 5 
percent of the market value of the recreation residence lot, established 
by an appraisal conducted in accordance with the Act of October 11, 2000 
(16 U.S.C. 6201-13).
    (b) All or part of the fee may be waived by the authorized officer, 
when equitable and in the public interest, for the use and occupancy of 
National Forest System land in the following circumstances:
    (1) The holder is a State or local government or any agency or 
instrumentality thereof, excluding municipal utilities and cooperatives 
whose principal source of revenue from the authorized use is customer 
charges; or
    (2) The holder is a nonprofit association or nonprofit corporation, 
which is not controlled or owned by profit-making corporations or 
business enterprises, and which is engaged in public or semi-public 
activity to further public health, safety, or welfare, except that free 
use will not be authorized when funds derived by the holder through the 
authorization are used to increase the value of the authorized 
improvements owned by the holder, or are used to support other 
activities of the holder; or
    (3) The holder provides without charge, or at reduced charge, a 
valuable benefit to the public or to the programs of the Secretary; or
    (4) When the rental fee is included in the fees for an authorized 
use or occupancy for which the United States is already receiving 
compensation; or
    (5) When a right-of-way is authorized in reciprocation for a right-
of-way conveyed to the United States; or
    (6) For rights-of-way involving cost-share roads or reciprocal 
right-of-way agreements.
    (c) No rental fee will be charged when the holder is the Federal 
government.
    (d) No fee shall be charged when the authorization is for a 
noncommercial

[[Page 321]]

group use as defined in Sec. 251.51 of this subpart.
    (e) Special use authorizations issued under Sec. 251.53(g) of this 
part may require as all or a part of the consideration the 
reconditioning and maintenance of the government-owned or controlled 
structures, improvements, and land to a satisfactory standard. The total 
consideration will be based upon the fair market value of the rights and 
privileges authorized.
    (f) Special use authorizations involving government-owned or 
controlled buildings, structures, or other improvements which require 
caretakers' services, or the furnishing of special services such as 
water, electric lights, and clean-up, may require the payment of an 
additional fee or charge to cover the cost of such services.
    (g) Except where specified otherwise by terms of a special use 
authorization, rental fees may be initiated or adjusted whenever 
necessary: (1) As a result of fee review, reappraisal; or (2) upon a 
change in the holder's qualifications under paragraph (b) of this 
section; and (3) notice is given prior to initiating or adjusting rental 
fees.
    (h) Each ski area authorization issued under the authority of the 
National Forest Ski Area Permit Act shall include a clause that provides 
that the Forest Service may adjust and calculate future rental fees to 
reflect Agency revisions to the existing system for determining fees 
based on fair market value or to comply with any new fee system for 
determining fees based on fair market value that may be adopted after 
issuance of the authorization.
    (i) Each permit or term permit for a recreation residence use shall 
include a clause stating that the Forest Service shall recalculate the 
base cabin user fee at least every 10 years and shall use an appraisal 
to recalculate that fee as provided in paragraph (a)(3) of this section.

[45 FR 38327, June 6, 1980, as amended at 51 FR 16683, May 6, 1986; 54 
FR 22594, May 25, 1989; 60 FR 45294, Aug. 30, 1995; 63 FR 65967, Nov. 
30, 1998; 71 FR 16621, Apr. 3, 2006]