[AMRadio] Special Bulletin from ARRL

[manualman at juno.com]

What's not mentioned in the ARRL blurb, nor is it stated within the
actual proposal, as to the actual impact to amateur radio/amateur
facilities and how many would be impacted by this proposal. I would
assume the ARRL is concerned about amateur owners who have repeaters on
Federal forestry lands. What else would we have on these lands?
Personally, if there comes to pass an administrative fee for all
communication services parked on Federal forestry lands, and if a
particular amateur radio installation on Federal forestry land is
considered a communication service, then they should not be immune to a
fee. 

Pete, wa2cwa
www.manualman.com

On Tue, 28 Dec 2021 16:09:32 -0600 <w5jo at brightok.net> writes:
> I considered this important enough to forward to a larger audience.
> 
> Jim
> W5JO
> 
> 
> 
> SB QST @ ARL $ARLB032
> ARLB032 ARRL to Oppose Forest Service Administrative Fees for
> Amateur Facilities
> 
> ZCZC AG32
> QST de W1AW  
> ARRL Bulletin 32  ARLB032
> From ARRL Headquarters  
> Newington CT  December 28, 2021
> To all radio amateurs 
> 
> SB QST ARL ARLB032
> ARLB032 ARRL to Oppose Forest Service Administrative Fees for
> Amateur Facilities
> 
> The US Forest Service is proposing to implement a statutorily
> required annual fee for new and existing communications use
> authorizations to cover the costs of administering its 
> authorization
> program. ARRL plans to vigorously oppose the imposition of the
> proposed fees on Amateur Radio.
> 
> The Forest Service proposal results from requirements set forth in
> the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (aka "the Farm Bill").
> Specifically, section 8705(c)(3)(b) of the Farm Bill directs the
> Forest Service to issue regulations that require fees for issuing
> communications use authorizations based on the cost to the Agency
> for maintenance or other activities to be performed by the Agency
> "as a result of the location or modification of a communications
> facility."
> 
> The Forest Service is responsible for managing Federal lands and
> authorizes the use and occupancy of National Forest System (NFS)
> lands for communications facilities that provide communications
> services for adjacent rural and urban communities. The Agency said
> in its proposal that it administers more than 3,700 special use
> authorizations on NFS lands for infrastructure that supports more
> than 10,000 wireless communications uses at 1,367 communications
> sites.
> 
> According to the Forest Service Notice published in the December 
> 22,
> 2021 issue of the Federal Register, revenues from the proposed fee,
> "would provide the funds necessary to support a more modernized,
> efficient, and enhanced communications use program," and will 
> "cover
> the costs of administering the Agency's communications use 
> program."
> Costs, as laid out in section 8705(f)(4) of the Farm Bill, may
> include expenditures for such things as "on-site reviews of
> communications sites, developing communications site management
> plans, hiring and training personnel for the communications use
> program, conducting internal and external outreach for and national
> oversight of the communications use program, and obtaining or
> improving access to communications sites on NFS lands."
> 
> ARRL encourages Amateur Radio licensees to file comments opposing
> the imposition of the proposed administrative fee on Amateur Radio
> users. Comments must be received in writing by no later than
> February 22, 2022.
> 
> Comments may be submitted online at the Federal Rulemaking Portal
> at, https://www.regulations.gov/ , or via USPS mail to Director,
> Lands & Realty Management Staff, 201 14th Street SW, Washington, DC
> 20250-1124, and must include the identifier "RIN 0596-AD44."
> NNNN
> /EX