Here’s a fun fact: outdoor recreation is a larger chunk of the American GDP than agriculture. Americans spend more on it than fuel and pharmaceuticals combined. And yet, the permitting system for America’s public lands is complicated and out of date.
That’s where the Recreation Not Red Tape Act (RNR) comes in. Co-sponsored by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) in the Senate and Reps. Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) in the House, these companion bills work to make our lands more accessible and usable. by adopting a consistent and uniform permitting process for recreation providers such as outfitters and guides that operate on our public lands and waters.
The President designates National Monuments, and Congress designates National Parks, wild and scenic rivers, and wilderness areas. But there is a lot more land that doesn’t fit into those categories that should still be protected. The RNR would allow Congress to designate National Recreation Areas (NRAs), which would be specifically used for recreation.
Something that’s not mentioned a lot when talking about the act that should be its commitment to making it easier for veterans to enjoy our public lands. We know scientifically that spending time in nature is good for our health. The act would, according to sec. 201, “The Secretaries are encouraged to work with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure service members and veterans have access to outdoor recreation and to outdoor-related volunteer and wellness programs as a part of the basic services provided to service members and veterans.” This would include Veterans Affairs sponsored activities in public lands, education on transitioning out of the service to public lands jobs, and encouraging federal lands to hire veterans.
America has a long and proud history of outdoor recreation which is good for our economy as well as our people. The Recreation Not Red Tape Act would help both.