For those who don’t follow the comments, Greg Beardslee brought up and Steve Wilent posted a summary of this bill. It appears to have two D and two R cosponsors.
Update: I heard from a knowledgeable person that:
This has been merged into the current Outdoor Recreation Act S3266. It passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. There is an effort to get it added to the National Defense Authorization Act. Here’s a link to that bill, known as American’s Outdoor Recreation Act.
I was interested in finding analyses of the bill. There was testimony at a hearing, including by the Forest Service, but I couldn’t find it. Hopefully someone has a link and can put it in the comments.
The last line, the briefest sentence; “The bill establishes a National Recreation Area System.” This opens, or should open, the door to equal evaluation of lands during Forest Planning. (equal to wilderness character grading) If it doesn’t, then Forest Service planning process and culture won’t change, and Patrick will be 110% correct. But of course, the bill must pass in order for it to influence agency regulations.
I went to the actual bill and read through it and am not enlightened. A couple hook and bullet co sponsors, I wouldn’t think hunting/fishing guides have a lobby worth pushing a bill. I keep reading “special permits” and I keep wondering who that means. Mountain bike racers? Usually these kinds of things are pushed by $$$ like ski resorts and hotel groups or something, real money. Would love to read a translation.
This is a detailed analysis of the Recreation not Red Tape legislation by the Whitewater association that helped work on it. https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Article/view/article_id/3vi932SiqP14h3QKkMj8r/
This is great!!! Thanks, Rebecca!
Crickets? I find this bill exciting. The establishment of a National Recreation Area System would bring something tangible to the table defined by the Forest Service recreation powerpoint presentation. It’s as if the Forest Service is trying to listen to us but bills such as this one are needed to help light the way.