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   PID: Synchronet 3.19c-Win32 master/2d3b97333 Feb 15 2022 MSC 1929   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.14-Win32 master/2d3b97333 Feb 15 2022 MSC 1929   
   BBSID: TBOLT   
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   SB QST @ ARL $ARLB008   
   ARLB008 ARRL Seeks Exemption from Proposed US Forest Service   
   Communication Facility Fees; Comment Period to be Re-Opened Through   
   March 31   
      
   ZCZC AG08   
   QST de W1AW    
   ARRL Bulletin 8  ARLB008   
   From ARRL Headquarters    
   Newington CT  February 28, 2022   
   To all radio amateurs   
      
   SB QST ARL ARLB008   
   ARLB008 ARRL Seeks Exemption from Proposed US Forest Service   
   Communication Facility Fees; Comment Period to be Re-Opened Through   
   March 31   
      
   ARRL has filed comments with the US Forest Service (USFS) seeking an   
   exemption for amateur radio facilities to a proposed new 1400 dollar   
   annual administrative fee. The USFS proposal resulted from   
   requirements in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (aka "the   
   Farm Bill"), which directs the Forest Service to collect fees for   
   issuing communications use authorizations based on the cost to the   
   agency for processing the applications, maintenance, and other   
   related activities. These fees would be in addition to annual rental   
   and cost-recovery fees already being collected.   
      
   ARRL's comments can be found online at,   
   https://www.regulations.gov/comment/FS-2022-0001-0749 .   
      
   On February 24, the Forest Service filed a Notice in the Federal   
   Register that the comment filing window will be re-opened on March 1   
   and additional comments will be accepted through March 31. Any radio   
   amateurs missing the first comment period or wishing to add to their   
   earlier comments are encouraged to do so during this additional   
   period.   
      
   "Although the discussion put forward by the Forest Service in its   
   proposal focuses on commercial uses, the proposal would sweep within   
   its requirements amateur radio uses that are solely noncommercial,"   
   ARRL said in comments filed on February 22. "Radio amateurs   
   establish and maintain facilities at certain locations for public   
   service purposes with no remuneration or reimbursement. Unlike   
   broadcasters and commercial wireless and fiber providers, radio   
   amateurs are uniquely barred by the terms of their federal licenses   
   from receiving compensation of any sort."   
      
   "Non-commercial and uncompensated communication uses by radio   
   amateurs within Forest Service areas long have served the public   
   interest in many ways, among them by providing the means for   
   otherwise unobtainable emergency communication capabilities in times   
   of need," ARRL noted. "Amateurs perform this valuable public service   
   without cost to taxpayers. The importance of these capabilities   
   [has] been demonstrated repeatedly. The skills of amateur operators   
   have served our country well with their carefully located equipment   
   when enabling exchanges of possibly life-saving messages in   
   difficult terrain during forest fires, extending communications   
   assistance help during hurricanes, and providing communications   
   capabilities during search-and-rescue missions in remote areas."   
      
   ARRL stressed that equipment, maintenance, and other costs   
   associated with amateur radio facilities on USFS lands "are borne   
   solely by the volunteer radio amateurs themselves."   
      
   ARRL continued, "Commercial applicants usually request more   
   extensive use of the lands administered by the Forest Service, and   
   these requests necessarily result in more complex issues having to   
   be considered and resolved."   
      
   "It is foreseeable that many radio amateurs providing these services   
   would have to opt to withdraw and cease their work," if not exempted   
   from the proposed fees, ARRL said. "In many cases the most useful   
   locations for needed coverage from their stations is uniquely on   
   Forest Service lands. In short, the proposal to include volunteer   
   uncompensated amateur service applicants with the commercial   
   wireless service and broadcast applicants is grossly inequitable.   
   There is a disparity in the amount of resources necessary to   
   consider applications from radio amateurs as compared to that   
   required by commercial applicants."   
      
   "[O]ur best estimate is that there are fewer than 100 covered   
   amateur locations, but those likely are unique and essential to   
   covering forested areas in times of need, such as forest fires or   
   lost hikers," ARRL said. "These dissimilarities in complexity and   
   scope should be recognized in this fees proposal and amateur radio   
   applications exempted."   
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