§ 6804. Recreation passes

2,791 words·~13 min read·/usc/title-16/section-6804

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(a)America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass

(1)Availability and use The Secretaries shall establish, and may charge a fee for, an interagency national pass to be known as the “America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass”, which shall cover the entrance fee and standard amenity recreation fee for all Federal recreational lands and waters for which an entrance fee or a standard amenity recreation fee is charged.

(2)Image competition for recreation pass The Secretaries shall hold an annual competition to select the image to be used on the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass for a year. The competition shall be open to the public and used as a means to educate the American people about Federal recreational lands and waters.

(3)Notice of establishment The Secretaries shall publish a notice in the Federal Register when the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass is first established and available for purchase.

(4)Duration The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass shall be valid for a period of 12 months from the date of the issuance of the recreation pass to a passholder, except in the case of the age discount and lifetime passes issued under subsection (b).

(5)Price The Secretaries shall establish the price at which the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass will be sold to the public.

(6)Sales locations and marketing

(A)In general The Secretaries shall sell or otherwise make available the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass—

(i)at all Federal recreational lands and waters at which—

(I)an entrance fee or a standard amenity recreation fee is charged; and

(II)such sales or distribution of the Pass is feasible;

(ii)at such other locations as the Secretaries consider appropriate and feasible; and

(iii)through a prominent link to a centralized pass sale system on the website of each of the Federal land management agencies and the websites of the relevant units and subunits of those agencies, which shall include information about where and when a National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass may be used.

(B)Use of vendors The Secretary may enter into fee management agreements as provided in section 6805 of this title.

(C)Marketing The Secretaries shall take such actions as are appropriate to provide for the active marketing of the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.

(7)Administrative guidelines The Secretaries shall issue guidelines on administration of the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, which shall include agreement on price, the distribution of revenues between the Federal land management agencies, the sharing of costs, benefits provided, marketing and design, adequate documentation for discounts under subsection (b), and the issuance of that recreation pass to volunteers. The Secretaries shall take into consideration all relevant visitor and sales data available in establishing the guidelines.

(8)Development and implementation agreements The Secretaries may enter into cooperative agreements with governmental and nongovernmental entities for the development and implementation of the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Program.

(9)Prohibition on other national recreation passes The Secretary may not establish any national recreation pass, except as provided in this section.

(10)Digital recreation passes Not later than January 1, 2026, the Secretaries shall—

(A)establish a digital version of the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass that is able to be stored on a mobile device, including with respect to free and discounted passes; and

(B)upon completion of a transaction for a National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, make immediately available to the passholder a digital version of the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass established under subparagraph (A).

(b)Free and discounted passes

(1)Age discount

(A)The Secretary shall make the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass available to any United States citizen or person domiciled in the United States who is 62 years of age or older, if the citizen or person provides adequate proof of such age and such citizenship or residency. The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass made available under this paragraph shall be available—

(i)for a period of 12 months from the date of the issuance, at a cost of $20; and

(ii)for the lifetime of the passholder, at a cost equal to the cost of the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass purchased under subsection (a).

(B)The Secretary shall issue a pass under subparagraph (A)(ii), for no additional cost, to any individual who provides evidence, under policies and guidelines determined by the Secretary, that the individual has purchased a pass under subparagraph (A)(i) for each of the 4 years prior to being issued a pass under this subparagraph.

(2)Lifetime passes The Secretary shall make the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass available, without charge and for the lifetime of the passholder, to the following:

(A)Any United States citizen or person domiciled in the United States who has been medically determined to be permanently disabled, within the meaning of the term “disability” under section 12102 of title 42, if the citizen or person provides adequate proof of the disability and such citizenship or residency.

(B)Any veteran who provides adequate proof of military service as determined by the Secretary.

(C)Any member of a Gold Star Family who meets the eligibility requirements of section 3.2 of Department of Defense Instruction 1348.36 (or a successor instruction).

(3)Annual passes The Secretary shall make the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass available, at no cost, to members of the Armed Forces and their dependents who provide adequate proof of eligibility for such pass as determined by the Secretary.

(c)Site-specific agency passes The Secretary may establish and charge a fee for a site-specific pass that will cover the entrance fee or standard amenity recreation fee for particular Federal recreational lands and waters for a specified period not to exceed 12 months.

(d)Regional multientity passes

(1)Passes authorized The Secretary may establish and charge a fee for a regional multientity pass that will be accepted by one or more Federal land management agencies or by one or more governmental or nongovernmental entities for a specified period not to exceed 12 months. To include a Federal land management agency or governmental or nongovernmental entity over which the Secretary does not have jurisdiction, the Secretary shall obtain the consent of the head of such agency or entity.

(2)Regional multientity pass agreement In order to establish a regional multientity pass under this subsection, the Secretary shall enter into a regional multientity pass agreement with all the participating agencies or entities on price, the distribution of revenues between participating agencies or entities, the sharing of costs, benefits provided, marketing and design, and the issuance of the pass to volunteers. The Secretary shall take into consideration all relevant visitor and sales data available when entering into this agreement.

(e)Discounted or free admission days or use The Secretary may provide for a discounted or free admission day or use of Federal recreational lands and waters.

(f)Effect on existing passports and permits

(1)Existing passports A passport issued under section 100904 of title 54 or title VI of the National Parks Omnibus Management Act of 1998 (Public Law 105–391), such as the Golden Eagle Passport, the Golden Age Passport, the Golden Access Passport, and the National Parks Passport, that was valid on the day before the publication of the Federal Register notice required under subsection (a)(3) shall be valid in accordance with the terms agreed to at the time of issuance of the passport, to the extent practicable, and remain in effect until expired, lost, or stolen.

(2)Permits A permit issued under section 100904 of title 54 that was valid on the day before December 8, 2004, shall be valid and remain in effect until expired, revoked, or suspended.