LAKES Act

The LAKES Act (HR 6906) allows local governments and nonprofit organizations to collect and retain user fees for managing lakes and recreation facilities under Army Corps of Engineers projects. It requires that at least 80% of fees collected at a specific site be used for that site's maintenance, while permitting entities to keep up to 100% of fees for related operations. The bill modifies existing laws to ensure these fees supplement, not replace, regular federal funding for recreation facilities. It directly affects local public entities and nonprofits managing Corps-managed water resources. The key change is enabling these groups to retain and use user fees they collect, improving local funding for facility upkeep.