Commercial visitor services, commercial filming, and commercial photography are authorized in Katmai National Park and Preserve when it is consistent with the protection and public enjoyment of park resources. NPS policy requires that primary consideration be given to safety, potential resource damage, and anticipated disruption of normal visitor use. Applicable regulations can be found on Katmai’s laws and policies page. What is a Commercial Use Authorization?A Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) is a business permit with the National Park Service that authorizes an individual, group, company, or entity to provide commercial visitor services within a national park area. The National Park Service will only issue CUAs for commercial activities and visitor services that:
Businesses and individuals may not conduct commercial activities in the park without a valid CUA or in a manner inconsistent with the stipulations of the CUA. How do I apply for a Commercial Use Authorization?With the exception of Denali and Glacier Bay National Parks and Preserves, CUA applications in the Alaska Region are centrally managed. With one form, applicants may apply for all park units in the Region (except Denali and Glacier Bay). Application materials and additional information are available on the NPS Alaska Region website.
How much does a Commercial Use Authorization cost?In addition to the application fee outlined in the Application Instructions on the Regional website, Katmai charges a monitoring fee of $10.00 USD per person, per day (excluding guides) in all areas of the park except for the Brooks Camp Developed Area. At the Brooks Camp Developed Area, the monitoring fee is $23.00 USD per person, per day (excluding guides). If the same client visits both Brooks Camp Developed Area and any other locations in Katmai on the same day with the same CUA holder, only the Brooks Camp Developed Area fee will be collected for those clients. The fee is due November 15th each year. Starting in 2023, the monitoring fees began a phased increase to keep pace with the costs of administering the program. Monitoring fees will increase once more in 2024. Beginning in the 2023 operating and reporting season, Katmai National Park and Preserve is increasing the Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) Monitoring Fees to better reflect the true cost of administering our commercial services program, as required by law. The increase will impact the Monitoring Fees for those commercial activities that take place in the Brooks Camp Developed Area (BCDA) portion of Katmai National Park as well as the Monitoring Fees for all other areas of Katmai National Park and Preserve (KATM), Alagnak Wild River (ALAG), and Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve (ANIA). The BCDA is defined as a 1.5-mile radius from the Brooks Falls Platform. A map of the area that is defined as the BCDA can be found at www.nps.gov/katm/planyourvisit/campingbcdv.htm. Public Law 105-391 and NPS policy require the Superintendent to charge a reasonable fee “to recover associated management and administrative costs” for CUAs and review the fee every two years. The fees allow the park to recover the actual costs incurred in support of the CUA program, monitoring, clean up, and restoration to resources following the CUA activities. These funds can also be utilized for the day-to-day monitoring that occurs to enforce park regulations and for any equipment and materials needed for the management of the CUA program. This is the park's first increase to its Monitoring Fees since 2003 and will bring fees in line with the current staffing and material costs that support the commercial services program. The increases to Monitoring Fees will be phased in over two years with the first increases to go into effect for the 2023 operating and reporting season. Following the implementation of the new fee structure, Monitoring Fees will be reviewed every other year to remain in compliance with law and policy. Monitoring Fees are calculated using a per person, per day methodology. CUA staff included within the group are excluded when calculating Monitoring Fees. If the same client visits both the BCDA and any other locations within KATM on the same day with the same CUA holder, only the BCDA Monitoring Fee will be collected. Monitoring Fees are due no later than November 15th for the reporting year. Below is the phased fee structure that will be implemented:
We recognize the strong partnership the park has with its commercial operators and look forward to building on that strength as visitation increases to ensure park resources and visitor safety are protected. Questions about the CUA program or this fee change should be directed to Commercial Services Program Manager, Alex Maki, at e-mail us or 907-644-3362. What are the reporting requirements?CUA holders must submit an Annual Report and Activity Reports each year by November 15th. Current reporting forms and reporting addresses are available on the Regional website. Helpful links for commercial users:
Helpful links for visitors:
To assure protection of the parks’ cultural, historic, and natural resources, all commercial filming and commercial photography on NPS lands must be approved through a permitting process. Please visit the commercial filming and photography page for more information. Commercial Shuttle and Water Taxi ServicesKatmai National Park and Preserve intends to issue a competitive Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) application process for shuttle and water taxi services between Lake Camp and Brooks Camp. The Park will issue up to one (1) shuttle and water taxi CUA, valid from May 15, 2024, through December 31, 2025. The National Park Service is conducting this competitive application process in accordance with 54 U.S.C. § 101925 (PL 105-391 Sec 418(2 (A)), and RM 48B. | ||||||||||||
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Last updated: November 22, 2023