Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 1527 - To Amend the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986

(House)
(Young (R) Alaska)

The Administration has concerns about H.R. 1527 in its current form. The bill would replace the Forest Service's existing rental fee formula to calculate fees for ski operators' use of Forest Service lands. The bill would establish a new fixed-rate system that might not reflect fair market value and would lower receipts over the next seven years.

The Administration would have no objection to H.R. 1527 if it were modified to: (1) require a report to Congress in five years on the relationship of the fees received to fair market value; (2) extend the floor on fees for the five years of the study; and (3) authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to revise the fees after five years based on the study.

Pay-as-You-Go Scoring

H.R. 1527 could affect offsetting receipts; therefore, it is subject to the pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) requirement of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1990. OMB's preliminary estimate is that H.R. 1527 would result in lost collections of $2 million over the period 1996- 2000.