Yuma, Arizona (AZ Family) — Bureau of Land Management It proposes raising fees at more than 20 campgrounds and recreation areas across Arizona, potentially impacting the nearly 1 million people who annually visit BLM lands in the state.

The agency’s field office in Yuma County is notifying the public of possible changes that could increase prices by more than three times as much in some cases.

In Yuma and Quartzsite, the BLM is considering raising campground fees from $40 to $200 for a 30-day permit and from $180 to $600 for a seven-month extended visit permit. I am doing it.

This applies to imperial dam and La Poza LTVA The infrastructure has not been updated since 1983. Costs have also not increased since 2008.

Ray Castro, field manager for the Yuma field office, said the increased funding will be used to repair and modernize some of the site’s equipment.

“We need to improve our infrastructure. Garbage dumps and water facilities are aging,” Castro said.

Castro said he has worked to maintain all recreational areas, including providing amenities such as drinking water, showers, garbage disposal, garbage collection and security.

“Our service contracts have more than doubled in the last few years,” Castro said.

Castro says the costs became unsustainable as more people used the site.

“Thousands of people visit these campsites. It can be anything from van assemblies to tent campers to people living in their cars,” Castro said. .

That includes winter visitors like Catherine Corbett, who camps on federal land during the winter.

Corbett is retired and has a steady income, so she said she can’t afford to pay the extra $420 for a permit.

“What are you giving up? Look, if you want to be on that property with your friends, where do you start? I understand there are expenses that have to be paid, but it’s causing a lot of hardship and basically is going to crush us,” Corbett said.

She says she knows many people in the same situation as her.

“I’m going to be kicked out of communities and services that provide me with a little bit of infrastructure, drinking water, a place to dump my trash,” Corbett said.

Castro said officials are looking into how these fees could impact the community. The proposed fees are only a draft at this time, and BLM is seeking public input before proceeding.

Now accepting public comments Campers like Corbett want their voices to be heard.

“I’m so happy to have this land. I love it there. Being able to spend winters in the desert and summers in the mountains is heaven for me,” Corbett said.

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