CFA Update and Call to Action!

Recent events in Washington are very encouraging. House bill H.R.3397 was favorably reported out of the House Natural Resources Committee. Also, our companion Senate bill S.1906 was introduced by Sen. Tester (D-WY) and is being considered for an early hearing. Links to both bills are available on the NFH website.http://www.nationalforesthomeowners.org/ With good fortune, the prospects for Cabin Fee Act (CFA) passage in 2011 or by early spring 2012 are bright.

That said, the Cabin Program still faces a big challenge in 2012 if our bill does not pass in 2011 or another form of fee relief for 2012 fails. Fully 15% of our cabin neighbors (yes, people just like you and me) across the country face 2012 CUFFA permit fees that exceed their ability to stay in the Program. Attempts at selling are anticipated. Some family cabins will sell, but most will not, given the obstacles of untenable fees and the bleak real estate market. Determined efforts to address this problem are ongoing. In a recent face to face meeting, Forest Service Chief Tidwell acknowledged the urgent need to resolve the cabin fee issue and the potential challenging impact of 2012 fees. Similar discussions have occurred with many Congressional members, as well. However, at this point, the outcome is not clear.

To support these cabin owners and defend the long term viability of the Program,

grassroots action is needed NOW! Please contact your Senators listed below

urging them to cosponsor and support S.1906, the Cabin Fee Act of 2011.

Send the message by email or through each Senator's website. Phone calls are even better. Personalize your message. Direct contact information is available at: http://www.senate.gov/. Another great contact information website is http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml.

All Senators, in all states should be asked to support S.1906. However, key Senators sit on the Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) committee and the Public Lands and Forests (PLF) subcommittee and are listed below by seniority. All these people should be contacted, but the Senators denoted with a "*" are a must! It should be noted that Senators Barrasso and Risch are original cosponsors of S. 1906 and should be thanked by their cabin owner constituents. Let's stand firmly united behind all cabin owners and get the CFA passed NOW! Please act today.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Members

Democrats	Republicans
*Jeff Bingaman (NM) - Chairman	*Lisa Murkowski (AK) - Ranking
*Ron Wyden (OR) (PLF, Chairman)	*John Barrasso (WY) (PLF- Ranking)
*Tim Johnson (SD) (PLF)	*James E. Risch (ID) (PLF)
Mary L. Landrieu (LA) (PLF)	*Mike Lee (UT) (PLF)
*Maria Cantwell (WA) (PLF)	Rand Paul (KY) (PLF)
Bernard Sanders (I-VT)	Daniel Coats (IN)
*Debbie Stabenow (MI)	Rob Portman (OH) (PLF)
*Mark Udall (CO) (PLF)	John Hoeven (ND) (PLF)
Jeanne Shaheen (NH) (PLF)	*Dean Heller (NV) (PLF)
*Al Franken (MN) (PLF)	*Bob Corker (TN)
Joe Manchin (WV)
Christopher A. Coons (DE) (PLF)

Finally, a plea for additional fund raising:

Below is a summary of C2 revenue and expenses over the past 4 years. As we enter a fifth year lobbying, travel and communication expenses continue and additional funding is needed. We are projecting $100,000 will be needed in 2012. Please consider making a personal donation to the C2 effort ($50, $100 or more would be appreciated). Also, urge your tract association to contribute, as well. Once we get the bill passed, we will still need to monitor the development of the Rules and Regulations that will implement the law. That too will require funding.

Cabin Coalition 2 Financial Summary

(Jan. 1, 2008 through Oct. 31, 2011)

REVENUE		EXPENSES
Individual Donations	$148,922	Advocate Contracts	$281,670
Tract Donations	$124,451	Travel & Lodging	$55,544
NFH Contribution	$100,000	Printing & Postage	$29,833
Partner Donations	$43,350	Conference Calls	$22,114
		Legal/Professional Fees	$7,882
TOTAL	$416,723	TOTAL	$397,043

Please write C2 donation on the memo line and send your donation to:

Ms. Barbara Warnock, NFH Database Mgr., 541 West Santa Clara Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92706

(Work) 714-836-7442, (Fax) 714-547-1774, (Email) bjfmjaj@ix.netcom.com

Thank you for being engaged in this challenge. Working together we will achieve success!

Best to All,

Pete Bailey
C2 Legislative Contact chair

Cabin Fee Act of 2011 Introduced to the House of Representatives

Yesterday, November 10, 2011, House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) introduced H.R. 3397, The Cabin Fee Act of 2011 (CFA). This historic legislation received a positive hearing by the Natural Resources Committee on September 9th, where cabin owner Pete Bailey of Tacoma, WA, testified on behalf of National Forest Homeowners (NFH) and the Cabin Coalition (C2).

H.R. 3397 is very similar to the 2010 Cabin Fee Act, which was also introduced and championed by Chairman Hastings. Like last year's bill, H.R. 3397 is expected to receive strong bipartisan support. The new bill will replace the flawed appraisal-based fee system mandated by the Cabin User Fee Fairness Act of 2000 (CUFFA). Nine value tiers would be established, ranging from $500 to a maximum of $4500. The NFH believes this will mean a much more equitable and balanced fee structure that will more truly reflect the true value of the cabin use than the gross fee disparities under CUFFA. Assignment to value tiers, that will establish individual cabin fees, will be determined by a rank order of all appraisals following the completion of the final CUFFA appraisals - the last use of any appraisals. During the transition period from CUFFA to the CFA, fees will be the lesser of $4500 or the current CUFFA fee, provided that the CUFFA fee cannot result in more than a 25 percent annual increase over the previous year's fee.

H.R. 3397 will also provide a "cabin transfer fee" based on the selling price when a cabin changes ownership and a new permit is issued. This transfer fee will be a flat $1,000, plus 5% of the sales amount in excess of $250,000 up to $500,000 and an additional 10% of the sales amount in excess of $500,000.

NFH President Geoff Anderson, of Lincoln, CA, hailed the new legislation. According to Anderson, "Passage of this legislation will mark a new day for cabin owners. It will do away with the inconsistencies and excessively wide range of fees resulting from the current appraisal system. It will result in fairer and more reasonable fees that more accurately reflect the actual
value of the cabin use. It will enable families who have built and maintained their cabins for generations to continue to use and enjoy them. The NFH and the C2 Coalition is deeply grateful to Chairman Hastings for his leadership and we look forward to working with him to get this needed legislation enacted into law."

A copy of H.R. 3397 will be posted on this NFH website as soon as it is available.

Aubrey King, NFH Washington Representative

Survey Deadline this Sunday

Please ask you fellow cabin owners to complete the 2012 Cabin Fee Survey this weekend, if they have not already done so. The deadline is this Sunday. Please follow this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/T7YYH25

Many Thanks,
Pete

Cabin Fee and Sales Survey -11/13/11 Deadline for Completion

Efforts to move the Cabin Fee Act forward in 2011 have been stalled. Several matters have impeded progress. First, a Senatorial request for an annual cap on potential increases necessitated significant language changes. Second, the declining real estate market impacted our revenue projections, necessitating a restructuring of CFA fee tiers which required a second review by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Third, we have been frustrated by the slow response of the CBO due to the relative low importance of our issue compared to larger issues facing Congress.

That said we are optimistic about both House and Senate bills being introduced this fall. Passage of the CFA this fall is possible, but the odds are against us, given such limited time. Passage in the spring is more likely. Furthermore, the prospect for a 2012 Fee Moratorium is also dim because a $5M offset (CBO determined) would be required and the source of such funds is problematic. Without the CFA passing or a Fee Moratorium many cabin owners face daunting fees in January, since the Forest Service could bill full fees according to CUFFA legislation. What options exist for those of us that cannot manage these fees?

NFH and C2 leadership will be preparing our thoughts on how cabin owners may choose to respond to high fee billings in the next few weeks. These will be shared broadly by email and posted on the NFH website, so please stay engaged. In the meantime, we want to understand the extent of the problem and how you, the affected cabin owner, may decide to respond. A brief 10 minute survey, with easy instructions will help us better define the current state of affairs and the best options for response, while helping us better inform our Congressional sponsors of the likely outcomes of inaction. We need your help.

Follow this link to the 2012 Cabin Fee and Sales Survey (11/13/11 deadline for completion). https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/T7YYH25

PLEASE DO YOUR PART NOW and COMPLETE THIS SURVEY TODAY! THEN FORWARD THIS NOTE AND LINK TO ALL CABIN OWNERS YOU KNOW.

Our Sincere Regards,
Cabin Coalition 2 and NFH leadership

Please contact
SurveySupport@NationalForestHomeowners.org with questions or concerns.

Annual Meeting

Hello fellow MRFHA Members ~

Please join us on Saturday, July 2nd for our annual meeting, 1:00 PM at the Camp Sherman Community Hall. We hope to see you there!

Best,
MRFHA Board

Happy New Year to All - The latest from C2 via Pete Bailey

Greetings Cabin Owners,

We have come far, but we still have much work to do in the new 112th Congress. Mr. Aubrey King, our Washington DC Representative, has provided an update (below) on the status of the Cabin Fee Act in Congress. The update is also provided as an attachment that includes the email addresses for all the co-sponsors of H.R.4888 and S.3929 for reference.

Two other thoughts. We will be requesting continued grassroots support from you and your cabin neighbors in the next few weeks and months. Broad participation remains essential to ultimate success this year. Please be ready to do your part when requested. Also, you will be receiving another request for financial support of Coalition 2 and NFH efforts.

We offer a sincere thank you to all those who have made recent donations. Our success depends on our combined work together, and your involvement is much appreciated! Please share this document with all your cabin friends.


Pete Bailey
NFH Director & C2 Legislative Contact chair
253-383-2388 Home Office



Aubrey’s Report:

The Cabin Fee Act made significant progress in the 111th Congress following its initial introduction as H.R. 4888 by Representative Doc Hastings (R-WA) March 19, 2010. Following a successful hearing by the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands in April and a favorable mark-up by the full Natural Resources Committee in July, the bill received a critical positive verdict of "zero budget impact" from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in November. A companion bill was introduced September 29, 2010, by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) as S. 3929. Unfortunately, time ran out before the CFA could be enacted into law. Both House and Senate bills received strong bipartisan support. Concurrent efforts to obtain a legislative moratorium on 2011 cabin fee increases were frustrated when Congress failed to pass comprehensive appropriations legislation for FY 2011 and instead approved only a "clean" (no amendments) short term Continuing Resolution to fund the Federal government until March 4, 2011.

With the start of the 112th Congress, there is reason to believe the prospects for the Cabin Fee Act are very good. In the House, last year's CFA champion, Rep. Hastings, is now the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, and is committed to give the CFA early and positive consideration. The important House Interior Appropriations Committee is now chaired by Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), who is a strong supporter of the bill. In the Senate, we expect Senator Tester to introduce a CFA companion early in the year and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), chairman of the Senate Public Lands and Forests Subcommittee, to support the bill and hold an early subcommittee hearing.

In the meantime, the Forest Service has decided not to send out cabin fee bills for amounts greater than those paid in 2010 until more is known about what the new Congress wants to do. This means that there will be no higher fee bills until at least after March 4th. The NFH and the C2 Coalition is working to ensure that Congress either enacts a moratorium or other legislation before March 4th to block higher 2011 fee bills and to advance the Cabin Fee Act measurably towards passage and enactment into law.

The key major steps for the CFA in 2011:

(1) Have Congress enact a 2011 fee moratorium or, at least direct the FS not to send out higher fee bills until after mid-year to provide time for the CFA to move through Congress;

(2) Work with Chairman Hastings to obtain early passage of the CFA in the House of Representatives, including holding a successful House hearing if necessary;

(3) Work with Senator Tester to introduce a companion CFA early in the session and work with Chairman Wyden to obtain a successful Senate hearing on the CFA as early in the session as possible;


(4) Work to get a favorable Senate Energy and Natural Resources mark-up of the CFA with Senate passage by the fall and subsequent enactment.

A strategy of success will include at least the following elements:

(1) Obtain as many as possible of the 28 House cosponsors of H.R. 4888 (listed below) to cosponsor the new 2011 CFA (only Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA), who retired, and, most tragically, Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), are not available to cosponsor the bill in the 112th Congress);

(2) Obtain more Senate cosponsors beyond the six who cosponsored the bill when it was introduced late in the 111th Congress (listed below);

(3) Avoid if at all possible any changes in the 2010 bill that would require a reanalysis by the CBO, which could delay the bill for month;


(4) Continue to obtain strong grassroots cabin owner support to communicate to Congress the absolute need to enact the CFA in 2011 or risk dramatically escalating cabin fees that will forever reduce and transform the cabin program so that it will no longer be the outstanding provider of multi-generational, middle-class family recreation that it is now and has been historically.

Metolius River Fish Habitat Project will Temporarily Close Recreation Areas

Deschutes National Forest

Media Release

Sisters, OR - Several popular recreation areas along the Metolius River will be closed to the public from October 19 – 22 while a helicopter place trees into the River.

A five-mile stretch of the Metolius River from Jack Creek to Lower Bridge will be closed to the public for safety during the helicopter placement of over 100 trees to restore fish habitat without disturbance to the stream bank.

The Forest Service is closing the work area to all public access including hiking, boating, and fishing on the river while the project is in operation. The helicopter used in the placement of logs will create downdrafts that can be hazardous to people in the area. Lower Canyon Creek Campground, Allen Springs Campground and Lower Bridge Campgrounds will also be closed during this time. Although there is private land in the area, the helicopter will not fly over houses when placing the trees, and there will be no restrictions on access to private lands.

Trees and logs will be placed along three reaches of the river near Canyon Creek, Allen Springs Campground and Pioneer Ford Campground approximately 3 miles north of Camp Sherman. “The project will restore large tree structure to this section of the Metolius River and will create pool habitat and cover for redband trout, bull trout and Chinook salmon,” says Mike Riehle, project lead and Fisheries Biologist for the Sisters Ranger District. “Compared to historic conditions, the Metolius River is low in the number of large logs. This habitat restoration will improve the rearing habitat for rearing juvenile salmon as they are reintroduced above Pelton Round Butte Dams,”

The project is also sponsored by the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council. The Council has partnered with the Forest Service to restore fish habitat in the Metolius basin using grants from the Forest Service, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Portland General Electric and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon.

Call to Action: ONCE AGAIN IT IS TIME TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE CABIN FEE ACT of 2010!

Below you will find a verbatim message from Pete Bailey, NFH Director & C2 Legislative Contact chair. This message indicates a strong sense of urgency on the importance for civic action around the Cabin Fee Act of 2010. Thank you in advance for hearing and acting upon your call to duty. If you desire ease in action, please contact: meganprince@me.com for a letter requiring minimal personalization aimed to reach representatives on both the House and Senate levels. Keep in mind - if not you, than who?

Best,
Megan Prince and the MRFHA Board


LETS EACH DO OUR PART TO GET EVERYONE ON BOARD WITH THIS EFFORT! PASSAGE OF THE CABIN FEE ACT HANGS IN THE BALANCE AND THIS MAY BE OUR LAST OPPORTUNITY!

All Representatives and most Senators are home in their Districts and States between now and the elections. It is a timely opportunity for cabin owners to communicate with them expressing, as strongly as possible, the urgent need to enact the Cabin Fee Act (CFA) this year in the 111th Congress or, if necessary, to extend the moratorium.

We hope to encourage and secure passage of the Cabin Fee Act during the Lame Duck session that will follow the elections. THEREFORE WE MUST ACT! To secure the backing of your Senators and Representatives, cabin owners must demonstrate their support for the Cabin Fee Act. Send emails and make phone calls to your local offices. Better yet, go visit the office with your request for support. But, make it your message of support and request for their vote to pass the Cabin Fee Act. Personalized messages are most effective.

To assist you, attached are sample letters that you should edit, personalize and email or fax to your Senators and Representatives. You can find DC contact information by state athttp://www.nationalforesthomeowners.org/. Write a letter to Congress.

The message is straightforward, but please put the message in your own words. Points that you can include are:

(1) Too many cabin owners are now faced with unjustified, dramatically escalating fees for their cabin use, making a growing number of cabins unaffordable and even impossible to sell at any reasonable price. The continuation of the Cabin Program as a source of middle class, multi-generational family recreation is in jeopardy. The current appraisal-based fee system is inherently flawed and must be replaced.

(2) Cabin owners, working with bipartisan supporters in both Houses of Congress, have developed a solution. This solution is embodied in the Cabin Fee Act of 2010 (H.R. 4888 and S. 3929) which is expected to be found “revenue neutral” by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Cabin owners throughout the country have studied, discussed and support the Cabin Fee Act of 2010.

(3) Senators should be urged to co-sponsor S. 3929 and support its passage. Encourage them to contact Senator Tester’s office to express their support. Representatives should be urged to support an early vote of approval for H.R. 4888 in the Lame Duck session. The entire Congress should then pass the CFA into law before the Lame Duck session adjourns.

(4) If the passage of the CFA must wait until 2011, a moratorium on 2011 cabin fee increases is essential. Ask for their support of a Moratorium.

If we do not secure passage in the Lame Duck session, we face a new Congress in January. The entire process could be set back considerably. There is no assurance we will enjoy the same level of support in the next Congress. Let’s get it done NOW! Please do your part and ask your cabin neighbors to do their part, too. IT IS TIME TO ACT!

Pete
Peter D. Bailey
NFH Director & C2 Legislative Contact chair

Tester introduces legislation to rein in cabin fees on Forest Service Land

Senator’s bipartisan bill would cap fees, set deadline for completion of appraisals

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Senator Jon Tester today introduced legislation to rein in skyrocketing fee increases for cabins on U.S. Forest Service land.

Tester’s bipartisan Cabin Fee Act would address the appraisal system for cabins that has led to the significant increases in cabin fees.

A law passed in 2000 set up appraisals for cabins on Forest Service land. But unexpectedly high values from the appraisals slammed cabin owners with new fees as high as $18,000.

Tester’s measure would change the law and assign cabins to a tiered system according to appraised value, setting user fees at between $500 and $4,500. The legislation also would require that current appraisals be completed within three years.

“These cabins are passed down in hardworking Montana families from generation to generation

—and the idea of leasing these cabins was never meant to make them a commodity for only the privileged few who can afford suddenly outrageous fees,” Tester said. “My legislation would bring some relief and, finally, predictability for these families.”

Senators Max Baucus, John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Jim Risch, R-Idaho, have cosponsored Tester’s bill. “This bill is common sense when it comes to preserving Montana's outdoor way of life,” Baucus said. “It will help make life easier for Montana families who have used these cabins for generations.”

“The U.S. Forest Service’s fee system is clearly broken,” Barrasso said. “Folks with family cabins in our part of the country deserve to know that they will be charged a fair and predictable fee. Our legislation will deliver increased transparency and common sense.”

Tester led the bipartisan effort last year that resulted in a one-year cap of 25 percent on cabin fee hikes while he explored legislation for a more reasonable fee structure.

A similar measure to Tester’s legislation is being considered in the House of Representatives. However, the House measure would add millions of dollars to the national deficit. Tester’s bill is expected to be “deficit-neutral” and not increase the national debt.