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. _________________________________________________________________ ____ 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. _________________________________________________________________ ____ 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.