BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair

                                           2351 (Chesbro)
          
          Hearing Date:  06/28/2010           Amended: 04/15/2010
          Consultant:  Brendan McCarthy   Policy Vote: NR&W 5-1
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
          BILL SUMMARY: AB 2351 authorizes the Department of Forestry and  
          Fire Protection to charge user fees for overnight camping and  
          group activities in demonstration state forests.
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          ____
                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions         2009-10      2010-11       2011-12     Fund
           
          New fee revenues       ($80) to ($120) per year         Special  
          *                                             
          * Forest Resources Improvement Fund.
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          ____

          STAFF COMMENTS: 
          
          The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) manages  
          eight demonstration state forests, covering about 71,000 acres.  
          The demonstration state forests are used by CalFire to conduct  
          research on timber harvesting, reforestation, and silvicultural  
          techniques. In addition to their research uses, the  
          demonstration forests are generally open to the public for  
          recreational use.

          CalFire's operations relating to the demonstration forests  
          (including the costs of providing recreational access and  
          amenities) are generally supported with revenues from timber  
          operations in the demonstration forests. However, low timber  
          prices and limited logging due to regulatory delays have reduced  
          revenues from the demonstration forests in recent years. CalFire  
          does not currently collect any fees from recreational users of  
          the demonstration forests.

          AB 2351 authorizes CalFire to collect user fees for overnight  
          camping and reserved group activities. Under the bill, CalFire  
          can only collect fees sufficient to cover its costs for  










          maintenance and improvement of user facilities, the natural  
          environment, and public access. Fee revenues will be available,  
          upon appropriation of the Legislature, for activities relating  
          to recreational use of the demonstration forests.

          CalFire estimates that it spends about $300,000 per year in  
          direct support of recreational uses (for example, maintenance,  
          management, and law enforcement). CalFire anticipates generating  
          between $80,000 and $120,000 per year in user fees and  
          anticipates using the additional revenues to improve the  
          maintenance of recreational facilities, rather than offsetting  
          current expenditures.