In a December notice published by the Amateur Radio Relay League, ARRL, we read:
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, affecting 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.
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.”
According to the rule proposal documentation, the annual programmatic administrative fee for wireless use authorization is set at $1,400 for each authorization.
What does that mean for the local amateur radio community?
If you have used the Bridgerland Repeater System while recreating in or driving through Logan Canyon, or participated as an amateur radio operator to provide communication assistance at one of the events held around the valley, or simply enjoy using the repeater for short visits with fellow Hams, you can easily see how valuable the repeater system is to the hobby.
And we certainly can’t overlook its benefit in emergency situations. The ability to communicate through the repeaters to an EOC is vital to successful communications during an emergency, ensuring interoperability between the small communities farther away from the county center of government.
In an email to members of the Bridgerland Club, BARC board member and BARC repeater committee member Ted McArthur, AC7II, reminded recipients that many sites have multiple repeaters, links, digital communications equipment, APRS digi's and packet Digi’s. Using the fee proposal as a guide, it is estimated the annual fee could be as high as $19,600 for the Bridgerland Amateur Radio Club alone for the sites on Mt Logan, in Wellsville and on Red Spur.
Although the bill has passed, the hope in the amateur community is to avoid the increased fees by obtaining an exemption for the authorizations granted to amateur radio, as hams are a valuable volunteer organization assisting communities all around the country without compensation.
The ARRL and the Bridgerland Amateur Radio Club requested that all amateur radio operators submit a comment via the Federal eRulemaking portal, https://www.regulations.gov/document/FS-2022-0001-0001. The comment period for the proposal ends on March 31, 2022.
If you didn’t catch the URL of the portal, stop by the blog where tonight’s training topic will be posted. If you feel inclined to add a comment please do so. On the eRulemaking portal you can link to the entire proposal as well as read comments already submitted. If you wish to share that comment with our state Senators visit senate.gov and use the “Find Your Senators” tool at the top of the page to obtain contact information.