Recreation Not Red-Tape Act

Bill: 115-s-1633
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2017-07-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Department of Agriculture
Department of the Interior
Economic development
Employee performance
Forests, forestry, trees
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health promotion and preventive care
Intergovernmental relations
Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Mental health
Military personnel and dependents
National and community service
Outdoor recreation
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Public-private cooperation
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
State and local government operations
Travel and tourism
User charges and fees
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: 

Recreation Not Red-Tape Act

 
This bill amends the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to require the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service to review the process for the issuance and renewal of special recreation permits, including for cross-jurisdictional trips, with respect to outfitters and guides. 
 
The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) shall: (1) coordinate with states to allow the purchase of federal and state recreation passes at federal and state facilities in the same transaction, and (2) sell National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes, and make payment of entrance and standard amenity recreation fees available, through federal websites.
 
Interior and USDA should work with the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that service members and veterans have access to outdoor recreation and to outdoor-related volunteer and wellness programs. 
 
The Forest Service, BLM, and National Park Service may develop management plans for extending the recreation season or increasing recreation use during the offseason. 
 
The Forest Service and BLM shall evaluate land managers based on the achievement of applicable agency recreational and tourism goals. 
 
The Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Transportation shall consider how land and water management decisions can enhance recreation opportunities and the recreation economy. 
 
The bill amends the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 to establish the Ski Area Fee Retention Account. A specified portion of rental charges for ski area permits on a Forest Service unit shall be deposited in such account, and a specified portion of such amounts shall be available to such unit for ski area administration, improvements, and visitor services.
 
The bill establishes a National Recreation Area System to be comprised of existing National Recreation Areas and new units designated after enactment of this bill.
 
Interior and USDA shall: (1) develop initiatives to enhance private-sector volunteer programs, actively promote private-sector volunteer opportunities, and provide outreach and coordination to the private sector to carry out projects and programs for the stewardship of federal land; and (2) establish an interagency trail management plan under which federal land management agencies shall coordinate so that trails that cross jurisdictional boundaries between those agencies are uniformly managed and maintained.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: Introduced in Senate