Legislation to ease permitting processes at the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management has bipartisan support, as well as industry backing.
The Recreation Not Red-Tape (RNR) Act was reintroduced in the House and Senate by Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
The bill would require the agencies to review permitting processes for guides and recreation enthusiasts and improve efficiency and encourage military branches to inform servicemembers and veterans of outdoor recreation opportunities. The legislation would create accountability for agencies’ outdoor recreation priorities, as well as supporting increased volunteerism to address public lands’ maintenance backlog.
Included in the RNR act is the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act, which would seek to improve outdoor recreation permitting processes.
“Access to our treasured public lands should be easy so all families have the opportunity for outdoor recreation,” Wyden said.
Moore said it was essential to streamline permitting processes and give federal agencies the tools they need to respond to the major surge in outdoor recreation nationwide.
RVIA and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) also expressed support.
“The Recreation Not Red-Tape Act will improve the experiences of these RVers by making recreation a priority on federal lands, improving recreational access and removing unnecessary barriers so all Americans can enjoy outdoor recreation experiences,” RVIA Vice President of Government Affairs Jay Landers said. “Of particular importance to RVers, this bill tasks federal land agencies to develop management plans for extending the recreation season or increasing recreation use in a sustainable manner during the offseason.”
ORR Executive Director Jessica Wahl said the industry’s growth requires federal agencies to gain updated tools.
“As our industry grows in popularity and economic impact, federal agencies need updated tools to provide sustainable and improved access to, and infrastructure on, America’s public lands and waters,” she said.
The House bill was co-sponsored by Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.), Debbie Dingell, (D-Mich.) and Don Young (R-Alaska).
