Senate passes first of its kind legislation to promote outdoor recreation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), applauded the passage of the EXPLORE Act, the House companion to his America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2023.

“Outdoor recreation is essential to Wyoming. Whether it's hiking in the Tetons or fishing in the Wind River Range, Wyoming’s recreational opportunities are second to none. As one of our fastest growing industries, outdoor recreation contributes over $2 billion and more than 15,000 jobs to our state. The passage of this legislation will keep the recreation industry thriving by spurring job creation, promoting small businesses, and streamlining safety and access to our nation’s parks,” said Senator Barrasso.  

Click here to watch Senator Barrasso’s floor remarks after the bill’s passage.

The EXPLORE Act:

• directs the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service to establish a pilot program for public-private partnership agreements to modernize campgrounds on federal land;
• ensures that outdoor recreation is considered by land managers alongside other uses of federal land by directing the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to consider ways to improve recreation when developing and revising land management plans;
• supports rural communities adjacent to recreation areas by providing technical and financial assistance to local businesses including: hotels, campgrounds, and restaurants, to support visitation;
• requires the Forest Service and BLM to designate new shooting ranges in National Forests and BLM land;
• directs the Forest Service to issue guidance for recreational climbing in designated Wilderness Areas;
• directs Federal land management agencies to work with the Department of Commerce to provide cellular and internet service at certain recreation sites; and
• directs Federal land management agencies to identify opportunities to extend the period of time recreation areas on Federal land are open to the public during shoulder seasons.

Some of Senator Barrasso’s key legislative priorities in the Explore Act include:

Federal Interior Land Media (FILM) Act:

The Federal Interior Land Media (FILM) Act modernizes film and photography permitting on public lands and allows outdoor enthusiasts the ability to share their adventures without the worry of unnecessary red tape or fees.

Currently, anyone who uploads a video of their national park and public land adventures to a social media platform to make a profit must obtain a permit and pay a fee. While federal agencies have not enforced this requirement consistently, fines and legal penalties have been directed toward popular and widely-viewed videos. This can happen even when those videos involve one person using nothing more than a smartphone. The FILM Act does away with this permitting scheme by requiring agencies to focus on actual impacts to park resources—not the type of content visitors create. This is a win for the First Amendment and for common-sense management of our public lands.

Connect Our Parks Act:

The Connect Our Parks Act will direct each national park unit to assess where cell phone and internet service is needed and develop a plan to increase access to these services. Increased cellular access inside our parks is a crucial component of public safety. Lack of internet access has been identified as a barrier to hiring and retaining qualified employees for the National Park Service. The bill ensures that any plan to build infrastructure would make minimal impact to cultural and natural resources as well as the visitor experience inside the parks.

The Cape and Antler Preservation Enhancement (CAPE) Act:

The Cape and Antler Preservation Enhancement (CAPE) Act will help improve conservation efforts for some of our National Parks’ most iconic species.

In Grand Teton National Park, for example, non-native mountain goats threaten the struggling native bighorn sheep. Through coordinated efforts with the National Park Service, volunteers play a major role in helping to conserve the bighorn sheep by removing the non-native goats. Current law gives discretion to the National Park Service to donate the meat obtained during these authorized wildlife management activities. However, the rest of the animal goes to waste. The CAPE Act remedies this by allowing for the donation of hides and horns, including donations to volunteers who help protect the native bighorn sheep.