Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations
Part 71, Recreation Fees

71.13 Exceptions, exclusions and exemptions:

(d). No federal recreation area fee shall be charged for commercial or other activities not related to recreation, including, but not limited to, organized tours or outings conducted for educational or scientific purposes related to the resources of the area visited by bona fide instructions established for these purposes.

Applications for waiver of fees on this basis will be required to proved documentation of their official recognition as educational or scientific instruction by Federal, State or local government bodies and will also be required to provide a statement as to the purpose of the visit proposed.

The use of any recreation facilities for which a fee waiver is requested must relate directly to scientific or educational purposes of the visit and may not be primarily for recreational purposes.

In order to grant a waiver of fees, educational groups must meet all of the following criteria and provide documentation:

1. Applicants for waiver of fees are required to provide documentation of their official recognition as an educational or scientific institution by Federal, State or local government bodies.

It is insufficient for applicants to state that they have this recognition or imply it in their letter or literature. Documentation must be provided from the government entity with the authority to make the official determination as the group’s educational or scientific status. The best documentation is a copy of the accreditation certificate issued by the governmental agency.

2. The use of any recreational facility for which a fee waiver is requested must relate directly to educational or scientific purposes of the visit and may NOT be primarily for recreational purposes.

3. Applicants are required to provide a statement as to the purposes of the proposed visit. The visit must be related directly to the resources of the park.

A general statement to the effect that the visit is for "educational purposes" is insufficient by itself. An explanation of what the educational purposes entail and how they relate to the park resources is required.

It is recommended that the requesting institution attach a separate letter to the Application for the Waiver of Fees, which covers the criteria for receiving the waiver of fees. This will assist the park in making the determination for approving or not approving the application.