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The Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act, in part, would allow agencies to issue a single permit for trips that cross agency boundaries—USDA Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—a process that is currently time-consuming and entangled in red tape.

Every year, Americans spend more on outdoor recreation than they do on pharmaceuticals and fuel, combined, the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) reports. The outdoor recreation economy generates $887 billion in annual consumer spending, 7.6 million jobs, $65.3 billion in federal tax revenue, and $59.2 billion in state and local tax revenue—and it’s still growing. Recreation is a huge part of this country, but for a lot of people, there are still barriers to participate. Often, they turn to backcountry guides as their sole way of recreating. So why is it so hard for guides and their groups to access public lands? 

Senators—Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the bill.

Source:

https://www.snewsnet.com/adventure-travel/senate-introduces-simplifying-outdoor-access-for-recreation-act

Edited by RememberSchiff
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33 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

With all due respect, why is this in Issues and Politics?

THIS IS AWESOME NEWS!

 

Well it is still a Bill which will be debated by politicians so I put it here. IMO, the bill needs more public awareness.

When it becomes law then its NEWS and I will move to Open Discussion.

https://www.mountaineers.org/blog/soar-act-to-help-groups-get-outside

Sound reasonable?

RS

Edited by RememberSchiff
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  • 3 years later...

Update May, 2022:

... the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act - passed out of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee. Next, the bill will head to the Senate floor for a vote. That means we’re one step closer to fixing the current inefficient, unpredictable recreational permitting system, which creates barriers for people to experience the outdoors through outdoor programs like The Mountaineers. 

The SOAR Act was included in a larger package of recreation bills* called the America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2022 (S. 3266), which passed the Senate committee by voice vote on May 3. The Mountaineers actively worked with the bill sponsor and committee to improve the legislation as it moved through the process. The SOAR Act will improve the recreational permitting systems of federal land agencies so that more people can experience public lands through volunteer-based clubs (like The Mountaineers), outfitters, guides, nonprofit leadership organizations, or university outdoor programs.

The bill has already passed through the House Natural Resources Committee...

A section by section summary (9 pages) of America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2022:

https://www.energy.senate.gov/services/files/F32F442F-7FEC-4734-886A-875A7B247E4F

but here is a shorter summary:

This bill provides for additional recreation opportunities and facilitates greater access to federal public lands.

If the public does not need to obtain a permit or reservation to access an existing picnic area, neither the Department of the Interior nor the Department of Agriculture (USDA) may require an outfitter or guide serving fewer than 40 clients to obtain a permit to access that site.

Interior and USDA shall construct and designate shooting ranges on National Forest System land and public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management for the public to use for recreational target shooting.

Interior and the Forest Service shall enter into an agreement with the Rural Utilities Service to install or construct broadband internet infrastructure at recreation sites on federal land.

The Bureau of Reclamation shall establish a competitive grant program to provide grants to conduct inspections and decontamination of watercraft in reservoirs operated and maintained by Interior, including to purchase and operate a watercraft inspection and decontamination station.

Interior and USDA shall establish a pilot program under which Interior or USDA may enter into an agreement with a private entity providing for capital improvements (including the construction of structures and improvements), management, and maintenance by the private entity of a campground on federal land.

More details at source link:

https://www.mountaineers.org/blog/soar-act-advances-in-u-s-senate

 

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1 hour ago, RememberSchiff said:

Update May, 2022:

... the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act - passed out of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee. Next, the bill will head to the Senate floor for a vote. That means we’re one step closer to fixing the current inefficient, unpredictable recreational permitting system, which creates barriers for people to experience the outdoors through outdoor programs like The Mountaineers. 

The SOAR Act was included in a larger package of recreation bills* called the America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2022 (S. 3266), which passed the Senate committee by voice vote on May 3. The Mountaineers actively worked with the bill sponsor and committee to improve the legislation as it moved through the process. The SOAR Act will improve the recreational permitting systems of federal land agencies so that more people can experience public lands through volunteer-based clubs (like The Mountaineers), outfitters, guides, nonprofit leadership organizations, or university outdoor programs.

The bill has already passed through the House Natural Resources Committee...

A section by section summary (9 pages) of America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2022:

https://www.energy.senate.gov/services/files/F32F442F-7FEC-4734-886A-875A7B247E4F

but here is a shorter summary:

This bill provides for additional recreation opportunities and facilitates greater access to federal public lands.

If the public does not need to obtain a permit or reservation to access an existing picnic area, neither the Department of the Interior nor the Department of Agriculture (USDA) may require an outfitter or guide serving fewer than 40 clients to obtain a permit to access that site.

Interior and USDA shall construct and designate shooting ranges on National Forest System land and public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management for the public to use for recreational target shooting.

Interior and the Forest Service shall enter into an agreement with the Rural Utilities Service to install or construct broadband internet infrastructure at recreation sites on federal land.

The Bureau of Reclamation shall establish a competitive grant program to provide grants to conduct inspections and decontamination of watercraft in reservoirs operated and maintained by Interior, including to purchase and operate a watercraft inspection and decontamination station.

Interior and USDA shall establish a pilot program under which Interior or USDA may enter into an agreement with a private entity providing for capital improvements (including the construction of structures and improvements), management, and maintenance by the private entity of a campground on federal land.

More details at source link:

https://www.mountaineers.org/blog/soar-act-advances-in-u-s-senate

 

Some of it seems good but some of it seems concerning. Federal lands are already overrun in a lot of places. Not sure allowing more unpermitted usage even by smaller groups is such a good idea.  Also given what I've seen of "capital improvements" they are too often connected to concession operations.  

 

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19 minutes ago, yknot said:

Some of it seems good but some of it seems concerning. Federal lands are already overrun in a lot of places. Not sure allowing more unpermitted usage even by smaller groups is such a good idea.  Also given what I've seen of "capital improvements" they are too often connected to concession operations.  

 

Yeah, I must be missing something. This bill seems to be less about public access and more about allowances to guide companies and other businesses.

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I noticed this in section summary...

Section 147. Increasing Youth Recreation Visits to Federal Land. (new)
This section requires the Department of Agriculture and DOI to develop a national strategy to
increase youth recreation on Federal lands.

...sounds like a job for us!

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